Salt Lake Tribune | 1916-08-20 | Page 17 | Old Man Greenlaw Opens Court to Settle Dispute

OLD MAN GREENLAW OPENS COURT TO SETTLE DISPUTE j lUali.vs His Bungstarter as Gavel to Compel Or-dlei Or-dlei isd Emphasize Rulings in t "out roversy. By li.WlD A lUiRTlS. ,,rTi UN m n ,., 'iumi, I iu Arkansas I'ily," ni,l ottl " li.vu!m MM but tktg alll I IVVr UUHHlOlll.Hl!., ' 1 h- iMafl a. If gratolul for vu M small a measure ,.f .onsolation. " Mought aa woll b MM wav as t'other." ,au J i, KlsJoll. HrUm-tentMl. HrUm-tentMl. ! , t. dawBoned If I o'n no 3jM r.'ivv'o. ' ' 'i-'r.hi' w ,lo"'! l' TO' " Wl.ated phllwo.hio'l. rotort.vl Ibo ol.l man with a U.ftl .vr. --U; hl. .t .s u tho law. Th' ain't no diff renee in tno jualitv o murder fr instant, but thev a belle,, ot ln ltlrt j). ,( ou has a irvxid law, or nWu ve're bruug to trial. 'What , murder in the first d Vree e- be made out jiutiflable if the Vaw-ver Vaw-ver n (,roio what he done culled o a liar, or if to" done caught him cheat 'k ftt 0Vil.,':, ,1r " O't ar.vthlu' wLat the jury e n be "njuced to c 'nsider 11 good xcuse. If the oo Is didn't p'vide the laws thatawav they wouldn 't be no sa.ety fo' Ilobdv usln 1 a ueepln into a mergencv. seine o' the best cui aena in Arkansas i it y 'd 'a' beeu strung up long ago. 'Now m'uot'uy is like murder. It "a .mstidable n to a certain p'int, but a ter that it 'a nioiiitouioug ail ' gits onto yo' nerves like. Thev is time, when if thev don't someho.lv come r afo' long 1 d feel like sutti'n' up the shebang an ' jfh to hell ouien h ar s quick a possible. " Monotony Ls Irksome. "Well, I don't mind aavin- what I ,u,taw.v now.'"' aaid Plais- deil "Ion stand m 'not 'nv 's wedl 'a the next, but Ye--- asks n'not'ny is a I'm p 'pared to admit," he eontin . '"wbat m'not'ny sho' is a heap ! lls .riK1 DOW' as aomepin ain't did tol 'able soon this yer c munity is l.a:- fo' to bust up with a loud noise, an' I'm liable f o ' to be makin ' the phatically. "1 done been gittin' blue is got to be did, an' that right speedy." "Mebbe that right, " said the old ain't even been a chicken stole fo' a heltova whi. 'Pears like even the ""ell." said Blaisiell, as if catching catch-ing at a sudden suggestion. "I got to relieve my feelin 'a some way. I reckon I 'U out rm ' ! ill on on ein fo ' tu'k. " Ami without tuilh.r tutk he nr.-so hiuI loll tiio attliuin. Tho OUtr! look.-., ut htm with lOBI Intern m ho want out, but languidly, ia U not vrMtly ooaooinodj fcfid for moraa1 BOthlttg wan iittid. Then Jako W i liter hot toin oiinervr.d: Snaps Ufa String. " Hint 'n thu wiint o" Loin' a urtlitt. .Him UO BOt kb Uaptl 'inotit. Mo Wit Ntrnnj; up to h .-rrlnin p'tnt an' thou ho r.nti-r., liko n fiddlo ntrlng," 'v'an't ho'p it, 1 reokon," sui.1 tho old man, "but that thtir urtintio tem ptr'nient nho ' in liblrt to mtiko BO1 tronblo f o ' n man 'n 'most anvthin' eJtt. If it luuln't 'a' been fn QftVln' it Jul nuMight 'a' boen a single mnn ' long s ho livod, but thev 'n Mimopin ' l-out red what 'p-'tu to pOi to rtist cat rong, an 1 when it ' a widdor th' ain't no reatin' of her. ll--r. boitt' a wi.lder an' redheaded like ahe nho' ia, tho .'ombinaUou waa jnat uachull) too imi-'h. ' ' ' Ptiey don't have to be wlddern,'' aiil Sum Poarnall gloomily. " KihI hen. I o.ln.'-. is enough, c on if 't aiu 't iible to the eye afo o're married. If ulio 'm thatawav Ualdt thi 'II it a man ev 'ry time. f reckon it iome like b'ilot. If o' h.i em it's a heap better f o ' 'em to show outnide 'u 'tis to have 'em r'nialn into to' tvlem like. Same with red. 'Tain'', 's 1ad f o ' th ' nutiide of her haid to be thataway 'tla f o 1 the inido. ' ' No one ventured a replr. Th? knew he spoke lr,.m experience and they :e.I his despondent mood, at lea at to the extent of keeping silence when, as sometime happened, hia suffer. nga overmatched hia endurance and he ;ae voice to his emotion. Fven the Old man rtiniori that no adequate eoo-solation eoo-solation could be otTere-1. Distant Shot Heard. j But while they pauae.l, unable to thiuk of anvthnn; fit for words under j tho cir.'urnatauct-a, there came from : ome little distance up the levee the j sound of a shot, and the old man aaid, "I reckon Jim is done come acrost one ' on 'em a "rea,!v. ' Then came several more similar re I ports tn rapid, irregular succesaiou and Joe Baasett sprang to Ml foil eagerly. As he left ti.e -taloon hia face j teemed all lighted up with pleajurable anticipation. 1 'Joe 'a another one got temper ' rre:)!," o-tv,-.i th- '. man thought fully. He 'pears to git mo' 'njoy-, 'njoy-, meat outen a fight n he does gittin' j drunk. ' along undisturbed ana the old man pulled out a fresh cigar. I man who waa unknown to any of them .. : f ; :! . a a;r. til rro-.vd ."-f rlTlfna. some of whom ahowed lndlic nation, while ( the othera aeemed merely curloua. Needed a Rope Only. "Thta yer man la dona d'manded a hearln' In co't afo' betn took to tha cala-booae," cala-booae," said Basse tt. almost atooa;eti-cally. atooa;eti-cally. "an" I fotched him hyar 'cordln' to law. but 'para Ilka ih' ain't no gre't sr.ia Into It. Blallell knows all tho fac'a an" all that's reely nec ary is fo' to Kit a rope." "Jhlebba so." said the old man, "an' i things c'n b did thataway satisfax-t ry j enouith afo" tha c'munliy gits clvlllraO, bift they woulJn't be no ua havln' co'ts I If Justlca was all 't waa u'strable. Th' objec' o' brlngln" a man to trial la fo' to giva him a chanat fo' to git off If he's got money enough fo' to pay tha costs o' co't. "Yo' all done right to fetch him nfo" me," he went on. "O co'se yo' mought 'a' hung him yo' own sulf. beln' sheriff. I an' they wouldn't 'a' been nothln' eald, but when they Is a Justice o' the peace handy It's a heap better fo' to p'ceed ac-cordln' ac-cordln' to law. Olves ma a chanst fo" to git soma profit outen It. "Is yo' all p'pared fo' to stand th' 'xpensa of a trial?" he demanded of the stranger sternly. "I recRon that 11 d'pend on how much 'tis," said the stranger sullenly. "SI It's reasons bio I kin, but If the charges la too heavy I reckon 'taln't wuth IL" "About what 'd yo' all c'nslder reas'-nable?" reas'-nable?" Inquired the old man. "Beln 'a this 'pears to be yo' first offense, the co't 'II ba merciful, an' charge accordln' to the size o' yo' wad." Couldn't Afford Jury. "Well. If 'taln't mo'n J100. I reckon Td ruther put up that muth 'n to bo hung thouten a trial, ' said the stranger. "That'll bo enough to start tho p'ceod-ln'a," p'ceod-ln'a," said the old man, reaching out for the money, "but o' co'se if yo" all d'mands a Jury It '11 be mo' 'xpenalve. That's up to yo' all fo' to d'eide, but the co't don't recommend It. Mebbe It 'd be better fo' to hang onto the 'r'malnder o' yo' wad, case o' the fine bein's 's heavy 's It's liable to be 'cordln' to th evidence." "Under them circumstances," said the stranger, "I reckon I can't affo'd no Jury." "Then th ain't no 'caalon fo" no d'lay," replied tho old man briskly. "Sheriff, what's this yer man did?" "I reckon Blalsdell c'n tell mo' "bout It n I kin," said Bassett. "Him an' tho stranger was flrtn' at one another when I come up. but I dunno how It begin. be-gin. How was It. Jim?" "I was lookln' fo' a nigger," said Blalsdell, Blals-dell, "an' not Interferin' with nobody. They was three or fo' on 'em down by the round house, an I done knocked one on 'em down, but the others done got away. I was klckln" of him peacable an' I - 1 I i.i in tint I m i h in o' 1 1 1 to 1 1 a I i ! 1 1 1, hi lata." At the lOUIsd of ililn wont Ihcin waa an out bunt of Indignation from tha audi to. c, i mi t iir oi.i man rappod bird on I I in lut I 1 1 li li In hill I"' ti I 1 1' I 'iH In In tlm .til!" I.n inOUtfd, "If ho'i ii tboUttonlil tit.1 ii lie iioitii with ooordln , ion 'tain1 1 boon provod, not V0l I to's 'ntltlOd I" ! iitnirflt Q( I QOQbt, tOPADOranooullyj anyway. I 'i t a 0n0P ftr all la .tin it. in', i .1 I ho uliii i gf), What It v.-' got to nay tn itV" "1 O n ''k u n v nui ii w hut aa vm I'm a obomionlot," iaifl itrongor with muon vthamanoa "t tn into tho wahi my own i' t tin' i doun i.i i fo nundrod i . " in v own, tt fo' t tin y wan m l true. "Juat tin. hull v I knoWl tltn vulun of '-in tin' whfii I inrn thta Ulan nun handlln' a llke- one I aaya to him wluit Hi' ain't no rt.iir.ri in iVlnlu- prup'tv IlkO tin wnn dOUl'i V ilnno had MRll u.n. In mi' tin .Irawe.l. I i' cti'nn Itif, Wa'lVt not bin' to ) did a 'ter Din t no' y fo' me lo draw my own n.lf MIatlkOly they'd 'a' betm mo' danutgn did If the nigger hadn't 'a' got up un i mi lid wlxt us. I reckon he must 'a' got tun hi thrOO O1 'his flint ah. On 1 1 Rrod, an' a'ter that thev waa mo' 'r laaa 1 O'nfuolon. I don't i luiitly know how I Iwhh thrv wm'ii'i nOlthoi1 en ua killed afo' thin ym lilg man yo' csIIm the atitirirr dotll OOITIS up, hul a'ttir thai -y wa'n't noiio.1 y in a him had h Ohangt, lie h0' la one flrthtln' man." l ined Hound of DrinkH. Thq aarnpnt. t might forward way In Rfhloa this alultonnnt waa niadt- 0001 B II ii-t Od I he nOOkOT to hia licarnm aa OM it"VOld of guile, it m 1 BOOMtt Wa Hperlally movnd lo fuvorabitt ctiiialdi-ra tion by t tie uiuffootod odntl ration with fghloh the prloonor reforrr.l to him. Kveu lllaladell rieamed Ml (In LnollllOd I" presa any eomplalnl, though lie ahowrd noma raMntmOnl at having tirr n Inti-r larod with w hllo lis waa amusing hi in -arlf. "I reckon I must 'a' been nlotookOBi Judge.'1 hp laid. 'wbon i dnnn oallad aim a ibolttlonist, an' boln "a thoy Hin t n. i charge g'1n him I reckon inc an' hi in o'n ntittle this yer fjuar'l our "n h.lfa Wo 0 ' ti go out on tha lavaa an huve It out, man to man, 'thouten no trouble to nobody," "That'll auit mr." Mid the atranger prompt lv, hut old man lirrnnlaw dla-arntnd dla-arntnd atrongly. " Vm motion la denied." ha an Id "nn' yo" all 1 fined a round o' drink a f..' c'ntenit o co't fo Intnferin1 with ih-P'rafodlnga. ih-P'rafodlnga. The co't 'II taka a recaaa fo' n few mlnutea fo' tha puppoae o" e fo t In' tho flna an" c'nalder tha caae a'trr-warrl a'trr-warrl " Tida was dona, and while tha drink ware being consumed (lit-ra waa a full and free dtacuasion of tha ctmim-atances. ctmim-atances. In tha rourae of which I ha atrangrr gTeatly tttrenir t hrricd tha favor-atila favor-atila In .pi OOstofl ha had already inatlc bung eigrter again and rai-ped for order, i Threatens More Fines. 'Tbeaa yer fcMlMOea la all right." ha said. "I-ut tha caao In ro t 'd ought fo' to ba Bellied flrat off Bcln'a th' alnl" 00 charge agin thla man t bain' a abo-! abo-! lltlonlat. tha co't 'U acquit hltn o' that, but this yer guar'l b twixt Hlaladelt u? I him la dona born fetched Into co't sji' "Th' ain't no quar! no mo", an b'aldca that wa una Is gwlna to meet up outside , ...,r n-.i i; n l'.r,' Ulaln-lrll auld. earnestly. If yo' kaap or, rnpIinVM I b'1!? s? Vr'' m? n 'hy'a done 'dvlra. Bain's the roata o' OO'I la done , i 1 "ii paid. I w.m't Mmk" no t.nrxf fo It If Its took en but If taln't tha law 11 i have to ba cyarrled out to tha bitter I end." "I'm wlntn' lo har what 'tla." said th a!nangr earnestly. "1 don't want no mu ' with the law. I'd a heap dnither j blow my wad Into a poker game 'n to I Iay no mo' costs o' co t." I t "Now yo're lalkln'." said tha old man. "That's Juat what 1 waa gwlna to say. , Th' ain't nothln Ilka draw poker fo' to : even up matters when thev a bad blood xlsthV. To all c'n play a freexe-out with Jim fo' the rest o' yo wad. or they c'n ba a-llve-handed settln" arranged If I that's rno pref'abla," "Flv-hand.-d la mo' sociable like " auggeated the atranger, and as no objec- I tlon aaa offered by anyone, a game was soon started ln the heck room of the little saloon. "Old man Greenlaw sho' la a wonder." said one of the cltlxens as tha little crowd of spectators melted away. "Ha gits "em comln' an' goln'."