Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-08-24

snaps as the Wild Wolf Of the Arkan.
saw"
The young hero then went out and
mounting his horse, rode off, amid the
wild cheers of the crowd for Little
Joe Stokes"
During the civil war Roy ran a wa
gon train between San Antonio ant
cities in Mexico, hauling cotton. HI
worked hard and made money like
dirt until the end Of the war. He al
ways said: II was not in the rank!
where bullets whizzed and screamed
but 1 did the Confederacy more ser
vice than twenty soldiers in the field
The army could not have subsisted
week without the supplies which
furnished"
His train earned him about 1900
month, and as he took a rest at Sar
Antonio on his return trips, he made
l., an occasion for great enjoyment II
his own peculiar way. 1t was not ar
unusual thing for him to ride hi!
horse, with his silver-mounted saddle
into the finest saloons in San Antonio
shooting at the glassware. He woule
order drinks for "all hands and the
cook" and the proprietors and bar
keepers knowing that he would come
around the next day and pay the dam
ages, set out the liquor and let Roy
run his course.
Roy is a natural born trader, and ir
a few months during the war he clear.
ed $4,000 hauling cotton from Sar
Antonio and selling it in Mexico. He
also traded extensively in mules and
horses. filling a large number OF gov
ernment contracts. He has always
had a great love for frontier life, and
when the first railroad was built into
San Antonio he thought the good ole
times there were about to pass away
and forthwith he moved to this remote
west Texas frontier village, which
possesses the wild life so dear to his
heart. He was here during the build
ing Of the Southern Pacific railroad
through the place, and his saloon was
known throughout all of the western
states during the exciting times at
tending the construction Of that line
through this border country.
1t was during this reign of lawless-
ness that he received an appointment,
Of justice Of the peace. The saloon
was his court room, and is still used
for that purpose. AS general thing
he sits on the bar while holding court
He is a strict disciplinarian and many
are the fines which he has assessed
and collected from disrespectful spec.
tators while the court was in session.
Roy does not know much law, but
1t was not necessary that he should be
very we'll informed in legal lore ir
dealing with the rough classes whose
cases came before him in the early
days. He has, however, a good
knowledge of the common law, and
while his decisions and court rulings
may not be strictly in accordance with
the provisions laid down in the books
they are usually founded on good
common sense.
Nearly all of Roy's decisions are
peculiar in some respect, or other
and a number of them are so remark
able that they are known throughout
the country. Among the most inter
esting Of these decisions are the fol-
lowing, which were taken by the cor
respondent from the record book
which Roy carefully keeps on a shelf
in his saloon here.
Shortly after the building Of the
Southern Pacific railroad through
Langtry, Mike O'Meara, a section
hand, was arrested on the charge OF
being intoxicated and disorderly. At
ter he had sobered up somewhat he
was taken before Judge Bean and ar.
rals. on the two charges. Mlke
pleaded guilty to the charges and wa:
fined $8 in each case. Judge Bear
had just finished entering up the fine
against the prisoner when some one
whispered into his ear that Mike, ir
addition to the SIC cash, had a time
check for SIT for work on the railroad
in his pocket. Upon learning this Roy
Immediately called the court TO order
again and, looking severely at the pris-
oner, said:
Besides that SIG 1 also fine you
that time check for SIT, which you
have in your pocket; turn it over tc
the court Immediately"
Roy's decisions are final in every
case He has never been known to
grant an appeal I was talking to
him on that subject recently, and he
said with much warmth:
mo, sub: 1 won't allow no man to
take an appeal from my co'rt. When
try a case it's got to stop right thar
Thar's another new-fangled notion
that some people have got in theiI
heads, but 1 won't allow 1t in my
co'rt. It's this thing of trying a case
accordin' to what is called the revised
statutes About once month I gel
through the postoffice one of these
revised statutes books. Do you know
what 1 do with them? I throw them
all in the fire. I've got an old statute
book that 1 have used eyer since I be-
gun holdin' co'rt, a good many years
ago, and 1 don't want any of them
new kinds Of books The old one Is
good enough for me-
A few years ago Roy formed a
partnership with one of his fellow
frontiersmen in the hog-raisin bust
ness. The partnership had not been In
existence long until Roy became dis
satisfied and wanted to withdraw on q
peaceable basis, but his partner would
not consent. After puZzling himself
for some time in regard to the best
way out of the business a brilliant
thought struck Roy. He proceeded ia
file suit in his own court against his
partner for a dissolution of the part
nership and one-half the hogs-owned
by them. The case was docketed and
duly came to trial. Roy presided and
also testified in his own behalf. After
the testimony was all in he again as
cended the whisky barrel, from which