The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-06-13

thunder dld you learn lndt. no oS
manded.
"Oh, me savvy too much" said
Billy.
Now, see here" said the lieutenant.
you didn't kill that trader?"
Yes, kill him." said Billy cheer
fully.
you did," cried the other.
white fellow no good; l kill him."
said the prisoner.
IF you tell that to the captain he'll
shoot you," said Facey. II the pris-
oner was to be defended he was go
ing to give him all the help he could.
The black boy looked distressed and
nodded forlorn assent.
You'll be a big fool to say that"
said Facey.
white fellow no good; 1 kill him."
repeated Billy.
You unmitigated idiot, you'll do for
yourself" cried the lieutenant, angrily.
\ Whats the good of my talking for
you If you can't stand up for your
| self"
At ten o'clock the court martial was
assembled on the quarterback. The
captain, with his brawny shoulders
thrown forward, and his hands deep
in his trouser pockets, had all the air
of man in the throes of Indigestion.
On either side of him were Sennett
and Roche; and in front, beside a
table covered with a flag. was Pick
thorn, with clerkly ~outfit and
Bible. Billy stood in chains beside a
| couple of marines, looking extremely
depressed The old gorillas, their
| filthy kits bullying with what they
had begged or pilfered, were in charge
| of the sergeant, who had all he could
do to prevent their splitting on the
deck
Facey was the first one sworn. He
deposed as to the capture and identity
of the prisoner Then Billy was led
up to the table and told to plead.
kiss the book and say whether you
murdered the trader or not" said the
captain.
white fellow no good; kill him."
quavered the prisoner.
pleads guilty." said Easement to
the clerk.
what did you do it for?" demand
ed the court.
Billy reiterated his stock phrase.
take him away" said the captain.
Jibberik was the next witness. He
kissed the book as though 1t were his
long-lost brother, and looked almost
unabashed enough to beg it of Pick
thorn / shall not weary the reader
with his labored English, that lingua
Franco of the isles which in the west
ern Pacific is known as Beach da Mar.
He told pretty plain story: Billy
and the trader had always been on
bad terms. One night, crazy with
palm-toddy, Billy had sneaked down
to Capt Toms house and shot him
through the body as he was reading a
book at supper. AS to the subsequent
burning and looting of the station the
f. old savage was none so clear, shelter
ing himself in the unintelligibility OF
which he was master.
Then rose Burder for the queen. He
was a cheeky youngster, with pink
cheeks, glib tongue, and no end OF
assurance.
81 don't propose to waste the time
of the honorable court" he began
but If ever there was a fiat-f0oted
self-copfessed murderer, would say
it is the dusky gentleman In the dock
The blood of Biggar cries aloud fol
vengeance, and it would be shame II
it cried in vain," he said
stick to the prisoner" cried the
court.
II bow to correction, sir" went or
Burder II say again. this is no time
for half-measures; and l say that Sun
! flower bay will be a better place tt
live in without Mr.. Billy. leave it te
the honorable court. with every conf
! dence, to vindicate justice in these
: islands by condemning the prisoner II
: the extreme penalty of the law. Tht
case for the queen is closed, gentle
men,"
| II believe you appear for the de
tense, Mr.. Facey?" said Easement, a
the queens prosecutor took his seat.
+ Il do, sir" returned the first lieuten
ant, neryously.
Il should like to say, first Of ALL
!, he began, that / will not cross-e1
anime these dirty old savages VIII
; have given evidence against my client
2 / quite agree with everything my hon
orable friend has said regarding
I them, and l cannot think that tn
: court will attach undue Importance L
any evidence they may have given
We've been told that the Kanaka
+ are losing all respect for whites, an
L that If we don't take some stron
measures there will be the deuce t
pay in these islands. Perhaps Their
q will be; but is that the British justic
. we're so proud Of, or is 1t fair play
g gentlemen, to the unfortunate wretc