The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-03-03
Law Versus
Judge Lynch
By RICHARD MARLEY


Ing town, were consulting as to how
to get rid OF an enemy. One demurret
at shooting since court had been es
tablished.
you see, jim" be said, they'll keel
us In jail forever waitin' to try u.s."
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 tc
try the new legal system that had beer
introduced, did not inconvenience the
two criminals at all by delay. The
murder was committed in the morning
and by 8 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 fred 1t was the murder
er, while she other could not be tried
for 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 II.
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 1t 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
a thing in itself, therefore the testi-
mony Of the barkeeper was not to be
considered by the jury.
There were several other persons In
the room at the time of the crime, but |
for defense proved that the I
eyesight Of one was bad. that another
was so deaf that he couldn't hear q T
cannon fired, to say nothing of re-
volver, while third had been sitting
at table in a jog In the room where
be 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 revolver-indeed. they
would not know how to handle such
The prosecutor endeavored to i'm
peach the veracity Of these witnesses.
but when he called on citizens present
10 swear that they wouldn't believe
hem under oath one of the witnesses
that If any man dared TO
question his word or his sacred honor
&c would let daylight into his carcass.
This efrectualIy prevented the impeach-
nent Of any of these witnesses.
When the lawyers had got through
with the case there was an impressive
,ilence in the court. The judge seem
u averse to instructing the fury to
icqIit the murderer, but he could not ,
zee how he could do anything else. He
was scatching his head when Oliver
Budd. n prominent citizen OF Four
Aces and leader Of the late vigilance
Committee that had ceased operations
n view OF the introduction of law into
he place, arose and said
Your honor these yere men have {
,een tried accordin' to law, and the {
shows that they are as inner
ent as two turtle doves. I suggest
hat before givia' up our former meth !
d we try 'em by the Lynch system, :
list for to see how the two compare" :
The Judge accepted the situation and
ave up his seat-a cracker box before =
lis desk, a board between two barrels 1
to Mr.. Budd, who took his place and v
aid:
Let AL the witnesses for the prose
ution stand up In line" {
When the line was formed Judge t
lynch or Mr.. Budd said to them:
These yere two men air charged
nth the KILN Of Charles Benton.
amber All of you who know for
arten that they done It hold up your
ands."
Every witness held up q hand.
"Thatll do" said Mr.. Budd: then. y
lrning to the large number of spec "
,tors present, he added: 4
Citizens Of -Four Aces, you have :
zen a trial by court methods and a
Hal by Lynch methods. All who are
favor OF the fust say Aye"
A dead silence followed
AN those in favor of these galoots
lin treated to Lynch law gay Aye"
There was a roar of Ayes that
ruck terror into the accused men.
such bein' the case" Mr.. Budd con-