The San Francisco call., 1904-06-05
TALK OF THE TOWN
AND ~g9Pltes,sS~-Q OF NIL
TIMEO ~
Il Judicial Jokester.

Off the bench Superior Judge Frank
Murasky is not the staid and quiet in
| dividual his demeanor on the bench
would Indicate. He is quite a joker at
times, as is evidenced by the following:
! A few nights ago Attorney Frank
Kierce happened to be out quite late.
! AS he was waiting for the last car
well-known insurance man, home
ward bound also. asked him into
nearby resort. to have a -'night-cap."
| Well, they had the ''night-cap" and
! missed the last car, and as result,
remained in the place for quite little
while talking over various topics. Now,
the insurance man is well known for
his habit at certain times Of lingering
the watch chain Of the person to whom
he is talking, so during the entire con-
versation Kierce made no objection
when his friend accentuated his re-
marks with numerous vigorous tugs at
his watch fob.
Judge Murasky heard Of the late ses-
sion the next day, and being well ac-
quainted with the lawyer and the in
surance man, saw a chance to have
little fun. He went to a telephone and
called up the insurance man. When
the latter answered, the Judge said:
Hello. This is Kierce. How about
my watch?'
Your watch?" came in a surprised
tone of voice from the insurance man.
II know nothing about your watch"
That's strange" said the pseudo
Kierce. You took it out OF my pocket
last night while we were talking and
| 1 forgot to ask you for 1t when we
parted because 1 thought you would
send it to me the next morning. It's
not a very valuable timepiece, but
regard it highly because it is an heir
loom. Just take a lock through your
clothes when you go home
Well, to make a long story short the
insurance man looked through every
pocket in every suit of clothes he had
at home. He searched his house from
top TO bottom, but could not find the
watch, and he so told Judge Murasky,
still posing as Kierce, when he called
up the next day, and the next.
The affair worried the insurance man
considerably, and he began to wonder
what he could do to placate the evil
IDENTIFY very angry Kierce. A thought
struck him, and he Immediately called
up the lawyer.
! Hello, Kierce," he said over the
phone. this is Blank. 1 wish you
would come right down to my office.
1 have a big suit here 1 want you to
handle" And then as he hung up the
phcne, he remarked sotto voce, that
ought to square matters"
Kierce appeared at the Office in
very few minutes, greatly pleased, for
the suit promised large fee.
Very nervously the insurance man
greeted him. and he lost no time in
giving the attorney all the facts con-
nected with the suit. The attorney
made copious notes during the conver-
sation, leaving his friend biting his
nails and squirming about in his chair,
hoping almost gainst hope that the
subject of the watch would not be
brought up 1t was not and Blank
breathed a sigh of relief when Kierce
rose from his chair and reached for
his hat.
Then he almost tainted as Kierce
asked him what time it was. saying. as
he did so, Il am due at the City Hall at
and my watch"
Its a quarter of A." almost yelled
Blank, taking the time from a large
clock on the wall.
"I have ample time" said Kierce,
unbuttoning his coat and taking a
watch from his vest pocket. MY
watch is a little bit slow"
your watch" gasped the insurance
man. when did you get it,"
Explanations. of course, followed and
the pair started out on a still hunt for
4 ~ fror
first person they met was Judge Mu-
rasky and the guilty grin on the latter's
face ended the search.