The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-04-18
Law Versus
Judge Lynch
BY RICHARD MARKLEY

al shooting since court had been 80
tablished.
lou see, Jim" he said. they'll keen
US IN jail forever waitin' TO try rs"
Don't you worry abort that. Pete i"
saiu tue other This yere community
isn ready for real law yet"
So they shot their man and stood
trial
Ihe citizens of Four Aces. eager to
uy the new legal system that had been
Introduced, did not Inconvenience tho
TWO criminals at all by delay. The
murder was committed in the morning
ana by o'clock In the afternoon rho
trial commenced. \ limb OF the law
named Simpson was prosecuting attor.
ney. and one Waterman was assigned
oy the court TO defend the accused
10 save time they were tried together
The first hour was occupied in fencing
between the prosecutor and counsel for
the defense, the latter claiming thar
the first shot killed the gambler ana
the man who tired IL was the murder
er, while the other could not be tried
Tor killing corpse An appeal to the
Judge established 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 were you doing
when the shooting commenced?
Witness Tom O'Brian had fist call
ed for some pizen. and | 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 lookin'
glass behind the bar seen It In
that
Your honor" said the lawyer, turn
ing to the Judge Il move that this
mans testimony be stricken out. He
did not see the shooting He merely
saw a reflection
The judge considered for awhile
then decided that reflection was not
thing in itself. therefore the testi-
mony Of the barkceper was not to he
considered by the jury
There were several other persons In
the room at the time of the crime. but
counsel for defense proved that the
eyesight of one was bad. that another
was so deaf that he couldn't hear
cannon fired, to say nothing OF re-
volver. while third had been sitting
at a 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 II revolver indeed, they
would not know how TO handle such
weapon.
The prosecutor endeavored to i'm
peach the yeracity 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 10
question his word or his sacred honor
he would LET daylight into his carcass
This effectuallv 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 10 instructing the jury To
acquit the murderer, but be could not
see how he could do anything else. lie
was scatching his head when Oliver
Budd. 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 nav"
been tried accordin to law, and the
evidence shows that they are as inner
cent as two turtle doves | suggest
that before givin' up our former meth
cd we try 'em by the Lynch system.
list 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. Bndd. 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:
"These yere two men air charged
with the KILN of Charles Benton
gambler. All of you who know Tor
sarten that they done it hold up your
hands"
Every witness held up hand
.sThat'll do" said Mr.. Budd; then.
turning TO the large number OF spec
tators present. he added:
"Citizens Of Four Aces. you nave
seen a trial by court methods and
trial by Lynch methods. All who are
In favor of the fust say Aye.