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Show Georgia Justice. In a certain backwoods community a suspicious character had been arrested for cattle stealing. When his trial came up he was represented by able counsel. The judge looked upon the lawyer with suspicion, and seemed to feel that his presence was entirely unnecessary. He assumed an unsual amount of dignity, and called the court to order. Having been in the superior court a few times he had caught an idea of how criminals were tried there, so he arraigned the prisoner and demanded "Guilty or not guilty ?' The prisoner responded, "Not guilty," and the justice looked him' squarely in the face and said, "Now, see here, you know that's as black a lie as you ever told." The lawyer suggested that the court should not pass judgment before hearing the evidence. The court intimated mildly that he knew his own business and needed no assistance. As soon as the evidence evi-dence was concluded the justice proceeded to pass judgment. "Stand up," he said to the prisoner. "It is ordered by the court that the defendant be confined in the chain gang at hard labor, for twelve months." "Hold on, your honor," said the lawyer law-yer ; "you have no jurisdiction to pass such a sentence as that. You can only bind the prisoner over to answer for the crime at the superior court. -You have no right to sentence him to the chain gang." "Now, see here young man, this court thinks she knows herself, and it will stand you in hand to keep your mouth shut. If I hear another word out of you I'll give yon six months in the chain gang." ' ' The lawyer collapsed, and the justice proceeded with the call of his docket. |
