The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-13
JUDGE HOKE.
Justice Is StiH = Two-Edged Sword
at Sandy Bend.


at Sandy Bend.
When the hats are all OF and the
dogs and. Chinymen hev been turned
out doors this we're court viii be con-
sidered open, said Judge Hoke. q
Sandy Bend. as he took his seat and
assumed judicial dignity.
As some of the dogs and Cinnamon
objected to being turned out into the
cold world, it was three or four min
utes before the hubbub ceased and he
could 90 on.
THE first case on the docket this
mornin' is that of Thompson vs. Per
kins. Thompson means Jim Thom9-
son, and Perkins means Bill Perkins
One OF 'eIn has a sort O. claim Owe
on Cow Hin. and works fur a day or
two when driven to it, and otnes
hangs around this town and PANTHER
Flat and has an eye out FUR teIides-
feet.
Il amt sayin' anythin' agin EN- as
court. not wishin to seem preIu-
diced. but as an idiVidua las Ih@
owner and proprietor Of the Red DOE
saloon-Tm free to say that WollIh I
furnish powder to blow en- UP AilSs
are the sort O. critters VINO carry W.
guns and a knife strapped AROUND +4s-s
and talk about the number OF men
they hev planted and its an old story
that they was born on the heaoWapet =
OF EightIn creek ana ~DAID a-Ci's .
down on top a cloudoursL-
Not as a court bekase q court must
stand neutral. but as one o the emf
nent citizens of this town ana neN'ii
the reputa ton Of Sandy Benc az neal :.
pint out the two critters as tney st'-
here and ask you to look at EN- lons
and wen. It may be years before you
see SIGH a pair agin- Take notice now
they roll their eyes Listen 70 Ihe
clankin' of their teeth SnlNer IN YOU
butes as they scoWI at each other
Two mornins ago" continued fls
Honor with a touch Of the plalntiNe
in his voice-"two mOrnin's ago, when
the ssfrIv birds was a-Warbun their
songs and the kyote come outer his
hole and rejoiced that he still lived.
Jim Thompson meets Bill Perkins ~
front of the Buffalo saloon It's nor
my call TO say anythin agin the bur
faIo bein' as it's q rival OF the Red
Dog, but I'm Ieavin' it to you II all ms
stock o. lickers didn't freeze up Soifa
Hst winter before the therrnorneI r
dad gone down to ten below. It Jest
e The Mace however Whar two Slch
critters would meet fur their mornln
min They met They glared at each
other Neither would give way
Git outer this! yells Thompson
"'Cft out yerselft' yells Perkins.
"T'u give YOU a mint to SLOPE
Same to @et
ssThev stood thar and menaced and
threatened and yelled. and bine oy
gun to push and jam Word HeW over
town that thar was a shootin match
on hand and two men were sarrin 70
be killed, and the people collected 10
see the fun. What did they see
Nuthin' but two great big stiffs and
buffers Dushin each other around
with their elbows and shoulders
AT least, that was all until the
crowd begun to talk of ropes and
limbs, and then the buffers drew
away and pulled their guns and open
ed fire. Six shots apiece and nobody
graZedi Twelve good cartridges vast
ed and not a drop of blood TO show
fur it, And what fOllered the shoOtin !
The men over at Cow Hill and Panth-
er Flats and Happy Holler won
never believe It. but we who was thar
must not only believe, but take the
disgrace Of II. and bow our heads in
shame. When six shots apiece had
been fired them galoots turned and
ran-one I'D the street and the other
down
Citizens of Sandy Bend, it may be
that the higher court, which don t
kesr zUss fur our feelin's and our
reputashun. may reverse my decision
in this case. but let EN- do 1t and be-
hanged to EN- AS look At il AS
every crttter in this town who has its
interests at heart looks at tour es-
cutcheon has been dimmed and its
our bizness to rub that dimness of
with an oiled rag as soon as possible.
I have therefore had both critters
DENne uelOEE me On charge OF aLLeTll OF
to kill, and without wastin' any pre-
cfous time over It. or seekin' to point
out any moral lessons the verdict is
that they be confined in the States
Prison Of this Territory fur one year
apiece
Il obsarve that each one of them
has shyster lawyer at his 81 bow. and
that them shyster lawyers are achin'
to get up and spout law at this court
but what have said goes and has got
to stand. I was elected as Jestice of
the Peace. and the idea was that I
would see iestice done. and III do il
If I have to take off my coat and lick
every lawyer in town. hain't