The San Francisco call., 1905-01-12


neatness and dispatch. Mr.. Riley was
court the bottle of whisky which he
had sold to the minor was produced
as Exhibit A for the prosecution.
But wait till you see the boy,
Judge" said Mr.. Riley. IF he amt
the healthiest 14-year-old you ever
saw I'll plead guilty"
The boy stood about five feet eleven
inches in his shoes and his girth was
in proportion. Furthermore, his voice
was a deep, rich baritone. But his
age was vouehed for. He will be
fifteen his next birthday.
Mr.. Riley admitted having sold the
whisky, but alleged he did so under
the impression that he was selling it to
a young man whose age, as. indicated
by his appearance, might be anywhere
from twenty to twenty-five years.
Business was brisk when the liquor
was called for, else the grocer might
have devoted more time to inspection
of the customer. To enhance his de-
ception the youth had drawn his hat
over his eyes, thus hiding any evidence
of adolescence that might have been
afforded by his smooth forehead.
"Just look at him for yourself.
Judge" Mr.. Riley appealed, "and then
tell me If you'd ever suspect him of
being minor"
After the Judge had commanded
the boy to put on his hat, and had
carefully noted the effect thus created.
the charge against Mr.. Riley was dis
missed.
THAT lad'n be comfort to his par
ents when he grows up" remarked
Bailiff Hickey as the stalwart 14-year-
old strode from the courtroom.
Splitting of hairs was indulged in by
the attorney representing Gustav Ahl-
stead, accused by Martha, his wife, of
mixing strychnine with ground coffee
at their home, 331 Jessie street, his evi-
dent intent being to poison her.
1t was absurd, the able advocate ar
gued, to imagine that Mr.. Ahlstead
could be held to answer for attempted
poisoning. The statute covering such
cases prescribes that the poison must
be placed in food, drink or medicine" !"
and as ground coffee was none of those
commodities 1t was clearly the duty of
Judge Mogan to dismiss the complaint.
If the strychnine had been placed in
brewed coffee-mark the distinction
then Mr.. Ahlstead might both legally
and logically be committed for trial on
the felony charge, because brewed cof-
fee Is food, whereas ground coffee is
not
Ere the court had time to fully digest
the foregoing plea its author sprung
another one almost as unanswerable.
It was to the effect that Mrs. Ahlstead
was disqualified to testify against her
husband by the fact that he had not
subjected her to physical violence, and
the law specifically states that wife
cannot prosecute her spouse for at
lence has been used by him.
His Honor wearily continued the case
till tomorrow.
Frank c. Miller. accused by his male
parent of disturbing the peace Of their
home, 1853 McAllister street, by vio-
lently enforcing his protest against the
sire's noisy method of partaking of
soup. will not be tried on the charge,
because the complaint has been with
drawn and domestic tranquility re-
stored.
Young Mr. Miller declares that his
fathers asthma had nothing whatever
to do with the soup incident. Miller
pere had been drinking to excess. he
AYERS, and spluttered over the soup be-
cause it was peppered too heavily to
suit his taste, and he warmly accused
Miller fills of having maliciousIy perpe-
trated the peppering. Denial of the
Impeachment only served to make the
old gentleman's table manners even
more Objectionable, and his compulsory
retirement to the kitchen was accom-
plished by the son in the interest of
etiquette, and not with intent to do him
bodily harm. The elder Miller also as
serts it was pepper, and not asthma,
that compelled him to gurgle In his
soup.
Minnie NJ Seeger, accused of marrying
PuRilist Bobby Johnson ere the law had