Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 11.pdf/516

 Ctje #reen 3Bag. Publ1shed Monthly, at $4.00 per Annum.

S1ngle Numbers, 50 Cents.

Communications in regard to the contents of the Magazine should be addressed to the Editor, Horace W. Fuller. 344 Tremont Building, Boston. Mass. The Editor will be glad to reeeive eontributions of artieles of moderate length upon subjeets of inter est to the profession; also anything h1 the way of legal antiquities or euriosities, faeetice, anee dotes, ete. LEGAL ANTIQUITIES

In pre- Revolutionary days there was a woman public executioner in Virginia. At that time death sentences were respited on a condition that a criminal should perform this office. "Lady Betty," as she was afterward called, was '<"> death for murder. She offered in stead to » public executioner, and held this office fo1 . jy vears. It is said that on the scaffold she officiated without a mask.

FACETI^.

In a town up north an ex-judge is cashier of a bank. One day recently he refused to cash a check offered by a stranger. "The check is all right," he said, " but the evidence you offer in identifying yourself as the person to whose order it is drawn is scarcely sufficient." "I've known you to hang a man on less evi dence, judge," was the stranger's response. "Quite likely," replied the ex-judge.; " but when it comes to letting go of cold cash we have lo be careful." A colored man was before the United States Court, in Philadelphia, recently, charged with some infraction of the law. He had no counsel, and the judge assigned Hampton I.. Carson to defend him. The government by the testimony of several witnesses established a strong case against the defendant. The learned counsel for the prisoner said : "Now, Sambo! please take the witness stand and give your version of this affair." The "man and brother" looked wise and quizzical and turning round for a moment said :

"Boss! in these yeah circumstances, I guess it would be bettah for me to remain neutral." M1chael Joseph Barry, the poet, was ap pointed a police magistrate in Dublin. An IrishAmerican was brought before him charged with suspicious conduct, and the constable swore, among other things, that he was wearing a " Re publican " hat. " Does your honor know what that means?" inquired the prisoner's lawyer of the court. " I presume," said Barry, '* that it means a hat without a crown."

"How long is it going to take to get through with this case? " asked the client, who was under suspicion of housebreaking. "Well," replied the young lawyer, thought fully, " it'll take me about two weeks to get through with it, but I'm afraid it's going to take you about four years."

A gem from the records of a Missouri court, given in an address by Hon. William H. Wallace, is the following lucid verdict in a lunacy case : — "We, the jury, impaneled, sworn and charged to inquire into the insanguinity of Hezekiah Jones, do occur in the affirmative."

Lawyer : You say the prisoner stole your watch. What distinguishing feature was there about the watch? W1tness : It had my sweetheart's picture in it. Lawyer : Ah, I see! A woman in the case.

NOTES.

Interest1ng testimony as to the effect of edu cation on crime was given the other day in Lon don by Sir James Vaughan, of Bow street, who announced his coming retirement from the magis trates' bench. He is eighty-five years old, and 4s1