Year: 1879

A correspondent OF the NASHVILLE
American repeats the following sto
ry which was told him by a Geor-
gian who witnessed the scene de.
scribed:


Georgia has stringent pistol law.
The penalty is forfeiture of the pis-
tol and a fine of $50, and at the
discretion of the Court, imprison-
ment for 80 days. A short time
after this law went into effect,
Judge Lester was holding court in
one of the mountain counties of
North Georgia, and, right in the
midst of the trial of a case, he
asked the attorneys to suspend a
few moments, and told the Sheriff
to lock the Court House door and
let no man pass out without per-
mission from him. Then said the
Judge in his firm, decided way :
"Gentlemen, l saw a pistol on a
man in this room a few moments
ago, and | cannot reconcile it to my
sense of duty as q peace officer to
let such violation of the law 90
unnoticed. 1t may be that it is my
duty to go before the Grand Jury
and indict him, but if that man will
walk up to this stand and lay his
pistol and fine of 81 down here, L
will let him off this time, otherwise l
will go before the Grand Jury and
testify against him"


The Judge paused, and an attor
ney WHO was sitting down just be-
fore the stand got up, slipped his
hand in his hip pocket, drew out a
neat ivory handled Smith & Wesson
siX-shooter and laid 81 down before
the Judge.


"This is all right" remarked the
Judge, but you are not the man l
saw with the pistol"


At this another attorney sitting
Immediately in front of the Judge
got up and drawing out a small
Colts revolver, laid it and 81 bill
upon the stand.


"This is right again." said the
Judge, "but you are not the man 1
speak Of"


Thereupon a man just outside of
the bar walked around, ran his hand
into his bosom and, drawing out a
huge old army pistol, laid it and ST.
on the stand.


81 declare" exclaimed the Judge,
"if this don't beat all; you have
done right, my friend, but you are
not the man that l saw with the
pistol"


The process went on until - pls
tolls and $19 were lying on the
Judges stand. Then there was a
pause, and it appeared as if the
crowd was pretty well disarmed; at
least, if there were any more pIs
tolls in the house their owners did
not feel disposed to give them up.


"Gentlemen," resumed'the Judge,
"here are nineteen persons who have
acted like men in this business, but
the man 1 saw with the pistol has
notcome up yetand now,p pcontinued
he, pulling out his watch and look
ing to the far side of the Court
House, Il will give him one minute
to accept my proposition, and if he
does not do it in that time | will
point him out to the Sheriff and or
der him to take him into custody"


Immediately two men from the
back part of the house began to
move toward the Judges stand
Once they stopped and looked at
each other, and then, coming slow
ly forward, laid down their pistols
and their dollars. AS they turned
TO leave, the Judge said: This
man with the black whiskers is the
one l saw with the pistol"


Then Judge Lester gave a short
lecture upon the cowardly, foolish
and wicked habit Of carrying con
cealed weapons, and assured his-au
dience that in the future the law
would be strictly enforced. The
Court proceeded with Its regular
business, and it is needless to add
that in that county the habit of car
rying pistols was broken up.