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Volume 3 (1858-1859) (592 pages)
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Page: of 592
Our Social Chuir.
TueErz is such a place as “Deadwood”
in California. A friend of ours passed
through the town, the other day, but
stopped long enough to witness a trial
before the chief officer of the law, vulgularly called a Justice of the Peace.
The case was “ Hanks versus Breese,”
and the facts were—Jirst, that the parties had violated the law by playing
“poker” on the Sabbath. (It is, perhaps, proper to state that the good folks
of Deadwood had not seen the Supreme
Court decisions.) Second, that Breese
played very “low down,” or, in other
words, cheated plaintiff. Z'hird, that the
game broke up in a row, the parties being arrested by the Justice, who happened to be present. It was an important case. Both parties were well known,
and had hosts of friends. The defendant,
through his attorney, a sharp little man,
demanded a jury. The people of DeadDog never go to trial without a jury.
The legal preliminaries having been
properly arranged, the case was called.
Twelve of the best men in the locality
formed the jury. The attorneys were
big with the event of the hour. At
length an odd looking genius, named
Stephen Lick, was placed on the stand
by the prosecution. The case proceeded.
“You said you were present during
the game between the parties. Did we
so understand you, Mr. Lick ?”
The witness nodded in the affirmative.
“Did you observe the progress of the
game with any interest ?”
“Treckon I did—licker was pendin’
on it.”
“What was the amount at stake, at
the time the row occurred ?”
“Well, the anti was two bits, and Lem.
Hanks bet a haf on his little par. Then
Bill he went in——”
“Never mind the details,” interrupted
the lawyer, impatiently, “answer my
question.”
“That’s what ’m going todo,” replied
the witness, drawing a large black plug
of tobacco from his pocket. ‘You see
when Lem. dropped his haf on. the pot,
Bill he kivered it with a big dollar, ’cause
I stood jest whar I could see that he helt
a little par, tov. Lem. he then tuck a
drink and ’peared sort o’ keerless —~”
“Come, come,” again interrupted the
lawyer. ‘Tell us the amount of money
at stake at the time the quarrel commenced.”
“Steve,” said the Judge, familiarly,
“you say that when Bill Breese shoved
up his dollar, Lem Hanks tuck a snifter
and ’peared sort ’o keerless. What did
he do then?”
“Why he seed Bill and lifted him two
scads. Bill he ’peared a little uneasy,
but raised Lem. a five. Lem he tuck
another drink and said the game was gettin’ interestin’, at the same time shaking
a ten dollar piece out onthe pot. Bill he
then said ‘Lem, you kinder suit me,’
and called out ‘twenty better.” Then’
The lawyers here protested against
this manner of giving evidence, but they
were overruled by the Court, who asked
the witness what the parties did then.
“Then we all tuck a small drink, and
Lem spread himself. ‘I see that matter
of twenty dollars,’ said he, ‘and go yow
thirty better.’ ”
By one of the Jury.—‘‘Will the Constable please keep order in the Court room,
so that the Jury kin ketch all the words.”
The witness proceeded: ‘ Bill he then
got down to scratch his foot, and when
he got up he lifted Lem twenty more.
Then Lem begin to look distressed, and
pushed his shirt sleeves up to keep it