THE LAW IN TEXAS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10503, 26 November 1901, Page 3

THE LAW IN TEXAS.

"We don't parley long with murderers out in our State," said a solemnlooking American in a railway carriage the other day. "What State is that?" a fellow passenger asked. "Texas," he replied. "We jist give a man fair trial, an' thar it ends. If he is acquitted, all right. An' if he's convicted, he hangs." ' '-fhat so?" . "Yes, sor. It's very seldom we let'm escape. Jist -before I came here I saw a man convicted in a- peculiar way." "Ah, you don't say so." ~ 'It was an ordinary case. Jake, Saunders stole ahoss, an' when the •deputy-sheriff tried to arrest him, Jake shot him. He was arrested, and the prosecution made out a fine case 'sin him. Yer bet yer life he had the thing all his way 'cose -Jake's lawyer couldn't produce anything in defence, and we all thought it was a hanging matter for Saunders, when his lawyer fot up to argy. By thunder I never card a man talk so much in all n;y life. Hour after hour he talked, till the Jedge, proßecutin' lawyer, prisoner, an' everybody else got tired listenin' to him, an r one by one fell asleep." "What? Oh, I say " "Yes, sir. -Ther fell aaleep one by one; but still Jake's lawyer spoke on, hoggin' and pleadin' for his client's life, till he had talked about thirteen hours." "Thirteen hours?" "Yes, sir. Well, as I was sayin'.^he talked thirteen hours, and then when he finished a court officer went round an' woke up the Jedge, who delivered his charge in a few words; then the jury retired. They were only out five minutes." "And they convicted Saunders, of course?" "No, sir. The acquitted him, and convicted his lawyer. An' believe me or no, they hung him that same night."