Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 22.pdf/693

 The Editor’s Bag called the “ﬁgure eight," were used to re strain violent prisoners. It was so fashioned that the captive could not move his hands, and was universally dreaded, for the pain

caused by a limb immovably conﬁned is almost unbearable. A simple but powerful device for securing prisoners was the "twister," now abolished owing to the injuries it inﬂicted. It consisted of a chain with handles at each end. The chain was put around the wrists, the handles brought together and twisted until a ﬁrm grip was obtained. The least struggle on the part of the captive and the chains bit deep into his wrists. Of the same nature, but made of wire, is "la ligote," while in an emergency whipoord has proved perfectly satisfactory. The handcuﬂ used in some parts of Eastern Europe is most primitive. It consists of a

V-shaped piece of metal, in which the wrists are inserted, the open ends being then drawn together by means of a cross hook, which must be kept taut the whole time. —L0ndon Globe.

661 DID NOT EXPECT IT

N attorney in New York, the bulk of whose business is collections, had an account against the president of a Young Men's Christian Association in a town in Illinois. Thinking that correspondence might bring results without forwarding the claim he wrote the young man and pointed out the error of his ways. He got a prompt response and a promise that the debt would be paid at the end of that month, when the debtor said his salary would be due. As usual the end of the month came without the promise being kept. The attorney wrote the individual and in response received a letter reading in part: “I had the money all put aside to send you, but when I got home that night I found that my wife had given birth to a child and I was obliged to use the money for expenses which I had not antici pated, as I had no idea that anything of the sort was expected."

The Editor will be glad to nniwfor t/rr': department anything likely to entertain the render: of flu Green Bag in the way of legal anfiquztrngfucelut, and anecdotes.

USELESS BUT ENTERTAINING . . . There were two prisoners in jail. One was in for stealing a cow; the other for steal ing a watch. Exercising in the courtyard one morning the ﬁrst prisoner said, tauntingly, to

A story, said to be characteristic, is told of an Arkansas judge. It seems that when he convened court at one'fof ‘the towns on his

the other: “What time is it."

paper had been provided, and: upon inquiry, it developed that no county funds were avail able for this purpose. The judge expressed himself somewhat forcefullyrthen drew some money from his own pocket. He was about to hand this to the clerk, when a visiting lawyer, a high priced, imported article, brought on to defend a case of some importance, spoke up in an aside plainly audible over the room: “Well," he remarked, with inﬁnite con tempt, "I’ve seen some pretty bad courts, but this-well, this is the limit."

was the retort.

“Milking time,"

-—-Central Law journal.

The jury was made up entirely of negroes, it being a case of one negro charged with steal ing from another. The jury retired. An hour passed. The judge could stand it no longer, and went in person to the room to see what was delaying the verdict. He found each of the jurymen crawling around on the floor, peering under chairs and tables, and also into corners. “Here," he thundered, “what are

you

niggers doing?" The foreman arose, and, making humble

obeisance, answered : "Yo’ honah, tain't no use; we jes' kaint ﬁnd no vuddict in his here room. Fact is, yo’

honah, I doan b'lieb dere's a vuddict in here no how." —The Brief.

circuit, it was found that no pens, ink, or

“You are ﬁned $5 for contempt, sirl Hand the money to the clerk," he said, and when the pompous visitor had humbly complied, he continued :— '» ~ "Now, Mr. Clerk, go out and get what pens, ink and paper the court may require, and if there is any left over, you can give the gentle man his change." —Central Law journal.