ping his wife. The case had provoked much scandal, and the courtroom was crowded. The district attorne3% J. H. Thompson, had stated his case, and was ready with his witnesses, when a question was raised as to the admissibihty of certain evidence. The attorney offered to produce authorities to sustain his position, but as he was sk)w in finding them the judge became impatient, and ruled the evidence out.
"The deuce you do !" said the attorney, "I'll read you the law, and bet you a thousand dollars I am right."
"Silence, sir!" cried the judge. "I'll commit you for contempt of court."
"Commit and be damned!" said Thompson. "I know my rights, and intend to maintain them."
"Sheriff! Crigler!" roared the infuriated judge, "take Thompson to jail, and adjourn court for twentyfour hours."
" Neither Crigler nor any other man shall take me to jail," Thompson replied.
Crio-ler stepped forward to obey the mandate of the court, but seeing that in Thompson's air and attitude significant of danofer he hesitated. Meanwhile Thompson went on with his authorities, artfully mingling apologies with his remarks to the bench until the judge became pacified, and the trial proceeded.
In a justice's court, at one of the mountain towns of Calaveras, a case came up involving the ownership of a mining claim. The defendant was in possession. But the plaintiff claimed that he could prove a prior possession, and that the defendant had unjustly seized and held with intent to defraud that to w^iich he had no right or title. The plaintiff was represented by counsel, dressed in civilized fashion, the defendant pleaded his own cause. Witnesses were called on both sides, but their testimony was not of that kind which gave the jury confidence in placing either party in possession. After the comisel for the plaintiff had spoken, the defendant arose.
