PRIMITIVE LAW IN COLORADO.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3143, 25 July 1881, Page 4

PRIMITIVE LAW IN COLORADO.

Tt was not always so, of course. Mining communities are apt to be lawless, as Australians of the last generation must know full well, and as all readers of Bret Harte and his school are nowadays aware. Colorado was, however, noted for its rough-and-ready justice, even in the darkes! period of its' history. There was a direc simplicity about legal proceedings which will commend it-self to all who have chafeat 'the law's dclav«.' In many districtlawyers were forbidden to practice, I difficult cases a committee was appointed I ■ arbitrate or investigate. If a breach of peace or a really criminal offence had been committed, a message was sent to the culprit, of which the following is a» authentic specimen : —' Whereas, Bill Payne, commonly called Cock-eye Payne, has committed certain outrages, amon» which drawing a revolver in court air 1 threatening the judge are made prominent be it resolved that a committee of ten goo' men be sent to bring in the said Bill or Cock-eye Payne, and he be required to showgood cause why he be not immediately hung.' Judges declined to be guided by precedent. When a counsel appeared ii court with an armful of law books, th< judge cried, ' The court don't go a cent o" them air leathcr-kivered books, and the case is decided for the other side.' Another judge had a loaded revolver on his desk, which he pointed at the head of the lawyer or other person evincing contempt of court with the ominous words, ' Shut up! I'm a 'fifty-niner; I'll blow your daylights out if you offend this air court.' Other judges who had a difference •of opinion with tV counsel sfepped off the bench and argued It -with the fists, and as the representativeof the majesty of the law were chosen specially for their muscular prowess the law generally had the best of it.