The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-08-03
THEY MIXED
HIM UP
By HARRY VAN AMBERC

the end of plug of tobacco, "whaI
the prisoner took the law into his own
hands by shootin' Tom Murphy in q
friendly game o draw. Bill Jones
tell the jury why yo' done It,"
"We was havin' far game" said
the prisoner. 'as ] supposed Thar
was fou' dollars IN the pot. / showed
par o queens on tens. Tom showed
full o queens Oh seyens. Now, I'll
leave 1t to the jury whether any pack
O. keerds they ever see had five queens
in It."
do 20 rest yo case thary asked
| the judge.
II does" replied the prisoner.
"Jim Brown" said the judge, 81 APP
pointed yo' the persecutin' attorney
In this case. and now = would like to
know what yo' got TO say agin that
hon'abe and manly statement"
There is two sides to every ques-
ton. yo' honah--the side of the pris-
oner and the side ag'in the prisoner.
Now, the side agin the prisoner is
this
"Haye / got to listen to the other
sideT' asked the judge.
Certainly. yo' honah."
I'D ruther not do that"
"WhyT
"'Cause l got my mind made up that
the KILN o. Tom Murphy was justi-
fable homercide If / listen to the
other side ! won't know whether l
stand on my head or my heels"
ITS the duty O. the cou't," replied
Mr.. Brown. ito listen to evidence on
both sides. How 20 goin' to decide on
questions O. law without KNOWN what
yo' air talkin' about?"
''Yo' kin go on said the judge re-
luctantly
"Bill Jones'" began the prosecutor,
says that thar was two queens in his
own hand and three in Tom Murphy's
hand How do we know, yo' honah,
but that Tom held three good queens
and the prisoner one from another
pack"
Il tole yo' so, Mr. Brown" remarked
the judge impatiently. "Yo' gone and
mixed me all up. What have yo' got
to say agin that argument. Bill JonesT
II have to give yo' honah fac that
hasn't been mentioned. AS soon as
Tom see that had two queens he let
one o. his'n drap."
Thar now. Mr.. Brown" put in the
Judge, Il got it all Strengthened out
Don't yo' go mix me up agin."
''Bil Jones'" asked the prosecuting
attorney, "whar did the game and the
shootin' take place."
I'm the Antlers saloon across the
street"
"When?"
This mornin'."
'At what tablet"
THE one behind the fur end o. the
bar"
What queen was drappedy"
1.-THE queen O. diamonds"
.Yo' honah." turning to the judge,
will 20 please send ovah to see If
that queen is still lynn on the doo'Y'
.Iim Coyne, yo go ovah. and If yo'
kin find the cyard bring it into court"
There was a hum of conversation
while the messenger was gone. Coyne
returned and handed card to the
Judge. who looked at it with perplex /
ity,
"Jim Brown" he said angrily, II tole
yo' yo' bettah leave t'other side o. this |
case alone. Yo' got it mixed up wo'se /
IN evan. This we're cyard isn't the
queen o. diamonds. It's the queen o
spades"
Il kin make it all plain to 20 honor /
IL you'll listen TO me- | amt agoin' to
argy high toned SOS the jury can't I'M
derstand. but plain Bill Jones has /
been a eyard sharp for twenty yeas or
mo. Is it likely that he couldn't tell
the queen O. spades from the queen o
dia monds?'
"You bet he could" from the Judge.
Then isn't ii plain to yo' honah and
the jury that Bill Jones has convicted
hIsself o perjury"
Reckon he has," exclaimed the
Judge. what yo' got to say agin that
argument. Bill Jones?"
Il got this. yo' honah Isn't it jist'
as bad cheatin' TO drap a queen o
spades as queen o. diamonds?'
Reckon" said the judge, blown In
the opposite direction. ''yo' done right"
"Yo' honah," put i'll the prosecuting
attorney. Il hold in my hand the pack 4
If guards the two We're playin' with 1.
when the KILN come off. Now, If the
queen you have belongs TO this pack, I,
Tom Murphy. who drapped that queen
was innocent o. cheatin', wasn't he|
''Of co'se"
The cards were compared and We're
Of the same backs.
"Mr Brown" said the judge. when
air yo' goin' to git through this case?
The furder yo' go the mo- yo' mix us
up"
"Yo' hons6," cried the prisoner. Il
got jist one mo- thing to say. Tom
Murphy drapped a cyard with 81 in
he pot. Isn't that enough to show
,heatin'."
yes
"Then want to know what yo' keep
n up this trial fo' The persecutin'
attorney got yo' so mixed up yo' don
lnow whar yo' stand. reckon yo