Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-08

summarily dealt with by fines ranging
from s. to $50.
Every crime in the calendar is swiftly
and justly penalized in that strange
country. save the crime of murder and
assassination well-known Lexington
lawyer told me when few days later
I related this incident to him. You can
not shoot mark Sunday without being
arrested and. arrested, you will be thrown
in jail unless you pay your fine. Nor
can you play poker or indulge in any
other form of gambling. even in the Sc
clusion of your own house and among
your intimate friends. without being ar
rested. If found out. You can shoot q
man. though, and you can kill him. and
while you may or may not have to spend
ore hour in jail for your crime 1t VIII
not cost you penny of fine. for murder
and assassination are the only crimes In
Breathitt county that are not Unable.
An amusing anecdote illustrative of TINS
punctfliouS insistence upon the letter OIL
the law was told me by well-knoWn
Lexington educator. Several years ago
with a friend or two he went up to camp
and fish in Breathitt county. One day,
being some miles from their camp. they
were caught in q midsummer rainstorm
on the mountain side and sought shelter
up for hours and after while one of
them suggested a game of poker with
pine cones for counters in lieu of chips.
There was only $3.50 in the entire crowd
and everybody had in turn won TINS
scanty Dot from everybody else when q
couple of strangers with guns on their
shoulders. also seeking shelter from the
storm. entered These strangers were
asked to join them in the luncheon which
the camping party had carried with them
On T.
ing of their fried chicken and drinking of
their fine old whisky with huntsmen' s
relish After their meal the camping
party again turned to their poker game.
their guests looking on. The pot had
been won and lost several times, when
one of the strangers broke the silence by
demanding that the money be Immediately
turned over to him.
Tho camping party were naturally ip-
dignant when they saw that the man was
in earnest and one of them ripped out a
mouth filing oath No sooner had it es-
capped him. however, when he felt the
cold steel of as pressed between his
eyes, and then the party found that they
were covered by the shotgun in the hands
of the other stranger
Its no use. boys said the bigger OF
the fnen. I'm the sheriff of Breathitt
county and this gentleman is the judge
and you are all under arrest.
And under arrest they surely were. ana
only escaped being dragged long Jour-
ney over the mountains and thrown INTO
! Jail by the ruse Of the educator. who
straightway posed as lawyer and De
| gan to quote to the Judge at random sucn
! passages of Virgil as he could remember
| in the original Latin.
| At this the judge. who knew no more
| Latin than any other mountaineer Judge
! which is as little as he knows Of Choc-
| taw professed to look very wise. ana
after much discussion. in crude English
on his part, and in legal terms tnickiy
| intarpolated with the magic Latin on Inc
part of the other he agreed to let the
gentlemen go. he expressed II, on
! their own recognition" In return for
| standing that they would all return to
! Jackson for trial on day appointed by
! the court which. in the circumstances OF
course. no one dreamed of living up 10.
| as the whole thing was Sucn niSn-Idhu-
ed outrage.
| few days later the party went back
| to Lexington and supposed the incident
| closed But they reckoned without sufh-
cient knowledge of Breathitt county meth,
DDS Unfortunately in giving assumed
! names they had used those of their best
| friends back in Lexington. and when the
day of trial came and went without the
culprits showing up. the sheriH Went
down to Lexington personally to investi-
gate. When he discovered, as he soon
! did. that he and the judge had been vic
/ timized his wrath knew no bounds. Back
he went to Jackson and Swore out the
| additional charges against one apd all, of
! contempt of court and false pretenses.
/ The Judge, equally wrathful. likewise is
! sued eXtradition papers to drag the Gull
/ prits back into the jurisdiction of Breat-
| HIT county. Fortunately for the victims
| OF the law. after much difficulty, COM
| promise was agreed upon. and in consid-
| GRAFTON of the payment of all costs and a
/ fine of 500 so they were allowed to get off.
| But back to the judge and my errand to
! the courthouse. The tipstaff, whom l
recognized as the jailer whom had called
upon previously, tiptoed forward, and.
/ learning my errand. suggested that l call
| upon Judge Taulbee at his 'sto' " at 4
O'Clock in the afternoon. Court would ad-