Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1917-04-06
A Question
About Law
By ORYILLE M'KIM

INNING TOWN.. were CONSULTING
as to how to get rid of an en-
envy. One demurred at shoot
ing since a court had been established.
You see. jim he said they'll keep
us in jail forever waitin' to try us.
Don't you worry about that, Pete
said the other This yere community
isn't ready for real law yet
So they shot their man and stood
trial.
The citizens of -Four Aces, eager to
try the new legal system that had been
introduced, did not Inconvenience the
two criminals at all by delay. The
murder was committed in the morning.
and by O'Clock in the afternoon the
trial commenced. A limb of the law
named Simpson was prosecuting attor-
ney, and one Waterman was assigned
by the court to defend the accused.
To save time they were tried together.
The first hour WAS occupied In fencing
between the prosecutor and counsel for
the defense, the latter claiming that
the first shot killed the gambler, and
the man who fired ii was the murder
II. NIl- TIE OllltI GOuld uDL Dt lIltu
for killing a corpse. An appeal TO the
judge estab lished the fact that both
were instrumental in the deed and they
should be convicted or acquitted to-
gether.
Then the prosecutor summoned Wit
nesses who saw the shooting The
first was the barkeeper of the saloon,
who was standing behind, the bar at
the time He testified that he saw
the two men open fire at the same mo-
ment on the gambler.
Question-What We're you doing
when the shooting commenced?
Witness-Tom O'Brian had 1ist call.
ed for some piZen and l was reachin
to the shelf back o the bar for it.
Question-How could you see the
shooting when your back was turned
to the shooters?
Witness-There was a big lookln
glass behind the bar. | seen it i'll
that.
Your honor" said the lawyer. turn
Ing to the judge. L move that this
mans testimony he stricken out. He
did not see the shooting He merely
saw a reflection
The judge considered for awhile,
then decided that n reflection was not
thing in itself, therefore the testi-
mony of the barkeeper was not to be
considered by the jury.
There We're several other persons in
the room at the time of the crime. but
counsel for defense proved that the
eyeslght of one was bad, that another
was so deaf that he couldn't hear a
cannon fired, to say nothing of q re-
volyer. while a third had been sitting
at table In a jog in the room where
he could not see the group'in question.
Friends of the accused swore that they
had known them for years, both had
taught Sunday school and neither had
ever carried a reyolver1indeed. they
would not know how to handle such q
weapon.
The prosecutor endeayored to i'm
peach the veracity of these witnesses,
but when he called on citizens present
to swear that they wouldn't believe
them under oath one of the witnesses
announced that II any man dared to
question his word or his sacred honor
he would let daylight into his carcass.
This effectually prevented the impeach-
ment of any of these witnesses.
When the lawyers had got through
with the case there was an impressive
silence in the court. The judge SEEM
ed averse TO instrueting the jury to
ann1Iif tn lt1f no
see how he could do anything else He
was scratching his head when Oliver
Budd, a prominent citizen of Four
Aces and leader of the late vigilance
committee that had ceased operations
in view OF the Introduction of law into
the place, arose and said.
Your honor. these yere men have
been tried accordin' TO law, and the
evidence shows that they are as inner
cent as two turtle doves. l suggest
that before giyin' up our former meth
cd we try 'em by the Lynch system,
jist for to see how the two compare
The judge accepted the situation and
gave up his seat--a cracker box before
his desk, a board between two barrels
to Mr.. Budd, who took his place and
said:
Let all the witnesses for the prose-
cution stand up in line"
When the line, was formed Judge
Lynch or Mr.. Budd said to them:
"rhese we're two men air charged
with the KILN of Charles Benton.
gambler. All of you who know for
sarten that they done it hold up your
hands" 30 ..s ~ -
Every witness held up hand
''Thatlu do said Mr.. Budd; them
turning to the large number of spec
tators present he added:
Citizens Of -Four Aces. you have
seen a trial by court methods and
trial by Lynch methods. y Au'who are
m favor of the fust say 'Aye.,''
A dead silence followed
"All those in. favor of these galoots
hein' treated to Lynch law say Aye