| OCR Text |
Show 242 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS. the purpose of trying five prisoners, then in jail, for the several offenses for which they had been indicted, and so relieve the county from the expense of keeping them. I had no particular business in the court, as no other business was to be transacted except the trial of these prisoners. But when a lawyer is not otherwise engaged he goes instinctively to the court-room, as a duck goes to the nearest pond. So I wandered into the court-room, in which court had just been opened. No sooner had I entered the room than the Judge, from the bench, notified me that there were no attorneys in attendance besides the prosecuting attorney, John M. Waldron, and myself, and he would be compelled to require me to appear as attorney for, and to defend these five prisoners. In vain I tn-formed the Judge that I was in court by accident, and that I had important business on the outside. I begged, be-seached and implored-told the Judge I was afflicted with rheumatism-I was near-sighted-I was deaf, and I didn't expect to live long anyhow. He was inexorable and I had to toe the mark. " Just then the prosecuting attorney, Waldron/came to my rescue and afforded me momentary relief, but, believe me, it was only momentary. He whispered to me that the first of the five prisoners to be tried, a Mexican sitting near us with both legs cut off just above the knees, would plead guilty. Of course the Judge could not hear what Waldron said. " I gravely straightened up and informed the Judge that I was ready and willing to proceed with the trial of the Mexican, who was charged with stealing a watch and chain, valued at eight hundred dollars. The prisoner was |
