The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-03-30
SANDY BEND
JUS TICE
By M. QUAD
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1915. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

Judge Hoke of Sandy Bend as he felt
behind him to see IL his guns were
handy-"this yere court bein' open and
the goddess of jestice bein' ready for
bizness, will call the case of Lee
Hung, who is charged with stealn' a
pickax from the camp of Jim Robin
son. Thar amt any need of lawyers
or witnesses, fur saw the critter my
self as he cum to town with the tool
on his shoulder. We are not goin' to
Ak why he stole 1t, kase that amt tpur
bfzness. Jim Robinson saw him when
ne picked 1t up and fired three shots
arter him and never teched a ha'r. In
one way this court feels that she orter
let that heather go his way to pay of
Jim fur bein' such a poor shot It's
jest possible that the critter mistook
that pickax fur a mewl or a bag of
-four, but that can't count in his favor.
Why he didn't hide the tool is nuthin.
to this court nor the statoots Of this
state. What we hev got to look at
ar the fact that he stole 1t and that
Jim Robinson had the gall to cum to
me when was busy in my Red Dog
saloon and holler for a warrant"
Il wanted to go accordin' to law"
explained the plaintiff as he stood up.
WAL, ye went that way, Jim. and
I'll give yet plenty Of it. Lee Hung,
durn yer hide, I'm goin' to fine ye $40.
That would be purity steep fur a white
man, but it's my dooty to crush the
heather whenever gifts a show. Jim.
you not only had three shots at tho
Chfnyman, but missed him every time
and then bothered me fur an hour.
You'll hev to cum down with the costs.
I'VE now hev afore US the case of
Joe Parker versus Hank Scott, and the
lawyers needn't crowd to the front to
do any talkin'. Joe had q minin' claim
on Paradise hill, and as he was lynn In
his shanty the other night mighty nigh
dead with collie in walks Hank and sez
the claim jest suits him and he's goin'
to jump 1t. He picks up the sufferin'
Joe and carries him out and dumps
him down on the rocks and then takes
hull possession and begins to sing reli-
gious hymns. Joe is tied up with collie,
but he has two guns to use. Does he
use 'em?s Does he ak Providence to
relieve him Of that collie fur ten Sec
onds while he kin fill Hank Scott full
Of lead. Not bit of It He jests shuts
his eyes and cries like baby as Hank
lugs him out An hour later his collie
is gone. But does he shoot? Does he
make an effort to recover his ownf
He don't He walks three miles on a
mighty dark night to rout me out and
demand jestice. He shall hev 1t. He
ar fined $50 and costs. Hank Scott,
stand up Nobody but duffer would
take advantage Of a man bent double
with miners collie, and l shall fine We
$40. What was ye achin' to say, Pete
Holden?"
81 wanted TO say, your honor" began
the lawyer-"I wanted to say that my
client
"Ye hain't got no client" interrupted
the judge.
THE next case on the docket pre-
sents pecoolier circumstances. This
we're court, who is court when he is
out of court and all the time, was
a-ridin' out to Big Bar the other day
on his cayuse when he meets up with
a Chinyman who had found Il twenty
ounce nugget. When this court had
hefted that nugget and was sure all
was solid stuff he suggested to the
heathen his willingness to exchange
his cayuse fur it. | don't go fur to say
that the hoss was hardly wuth it. but
he was a legal hoss, so to speak. and
that heathen could hey flung on Il heap
of style in the saddle. Did it strike
him that way? Not any. He jest
drawe1 his head down between his
shoulders and suddenly lost specch.
As this yere court feels that he knows
what's good fur Chinymen. he got Off
his cayuse and laid hands on that hea-
then to git the nugget away. Will it
be believed we're In this nineteenth CEN
tury that the wall eyed son of gun
kicked this court on the nose and kick
ed him on the shin? Such was the
case. and while this court was tempo
rarily disabled the heathen got away.
It's case of contempt of court and
mighty bad one. 1t has taken us four
days to find the Chinyman. and, what's
wuss. he's hid the nugget. II a court
can't maintain its dignity then it's no
court at all The vardict is guilty. and
tine Chinyman must pay fine Of $50
and s23 costs. The constable will tie
him to the stovepipe and keep him
thar till he squar's up.
1.-THE last case shows that what they
calls civilization is knockin' the spots
of this kentry. Tom Wharton, he goes
over to Dead Mems valley and steals
hoss. He gifts halfway back when
he is overtaken by crowd and hung
to a limb After the crowd has gone
the rope breaks and Tom Gums to life
and crawls away. Two days later ne
Gums to me and whines fur jestice. He
wants the leader of the gang arrested.
What fur? Fur not providin' stouter
rope. Tom was reg'larly hung. Bill
Choate, who led the gang and furnish
ed the rope. is yere. but this court feels
that he did the best he could under the
circumstances. The rope 'peared to be
a stout one, and Tom had got through
kickin' when he left. Tom Wharton has
suffered and wants jestice, but l can't
see whar he is to git 1t. It's case
Of whar nobody in Particular is to
blame. The costs in this case ar 81,
which will be divided between the
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