The Editor's Bag
497
Whereupon he informed his guest "Now, sir, tell us plainly what did he that he was a magistrate, pointed out do to this man?" asked the lawyer, with the nature of the offense, and explained a note of vexation in his voice. The clergyman thought a moment, the necessity of its being expiated by sitting an hour in the stocks. and then answered slowly: — Remonstrance was unavailing, for cus "Why, he enticed him." tom at that time allowed the magistrate "Enticed him! How?" "He enticed him with a crowbar. to convict and punish at once, and in He used the crowbar to persuade the this case the magistrate acted as ac man, to entice him; and by a series of cuser, witness, jury, judge and sheriff, pokes and blows he succeeded," con all in one. Cold as it was, the worthy justice, cluded the reverend gentleman. aided by his son, conducted the traveler to the place of punishment, an open PROMPT JUSTICE spot near the meeting-house where the THE following is related of a good stocks were placed. Here the wayfarer justice of the peace in Massachu was confined in the usual manner, the benevolent executor of the law remain setts in Colonial times. On a cold night in winter a traveler ing with him to beguile the time of its called at his house for lodging. The tedium by edifying conversation. At the expiration of the hour, he was ready hospitality of the justice was about being displayed, when the stranger reconducted to the house, and hospit unluckily uttered a word which his host ably entertained until the next morn ing, when the traveler departed. considered profane. The Editor will be glad to receive for this dtpartment anything likely to cnltiiatn the readers tf the Green Bag in the -way of legal antiquities, foctfif, and anecdotef.
USELESS BUT ENTERTAINING Judge Locke, Presiding Judge of the Federal Court, First District of Florida, was annoyed at seeing one of the attorneys, attendant upon a sitting of the court, put his feet upon the desk in front of the one at which he was seated. "Marshal," roared his Honor, "you will oblige me by identifying the legs to which those feet belong." — Judge.
"is well put. Following it out logically, I sen tence the prisoner's arm to twelve months' imprisonment. He can accompany it or not as he chooses." Whereupon the prisoner smiled, and with his lawyer's aid unscrewed his cork arm, and leav ing it in the dock, walked out. — London Law Notes.
A lawyer was defending a burglar accused of housebreaking. "I submit, your Honour," he concluded, "that my client did not break into the house at all. He found a window open, merely inserted his arm and removed a few articles. Now, my client's arm is not himself, and I fail to see how you can punish the whole per son for an offense committed by one of his limbs only." "That argument," said the judge gravely,
The District Attorney of the District of Col umbia announced recently that the smashing of straw hats after the fifteenth of September, because they are out of season, would have to stop, for, "If this idea of smashing a man's hat because he chooses to ignore fashion's edict were carried out a man who chose to wear low shoes might have his legs broken." And any old lady who showed herself too decided about matters of costume might be in danger, we presume, of having her will broken.
