roughing it-第58部分

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large；　was　to　stand　behind　a　bar；　wear　a　cluster…diamond　pin；　and　sell
whisky。　　I　am　not　sure　but　that　the　saloon…keeper　held　a　shade　higher
rank　than　any　other　member　of　society。　　His　opinion　had　weight。　　It　was
his　privilege　to　say　how　the　elections　should　go。　　No　great　movement
could　succeed　without　the　countenance　and　direction　of　the　saloon…
keepers。　　It　was　a　high　favor　when　the　chief　saloon…keeper　consented　to
serve　in　the　legislature　or　the　board　of　aldermen。

Youthful　ambition　hardly　aspired　so　much　to　the　honors　of　the　law；　or　the
army　and　navy　as　to　the　dignity　of　proprietorship　in　a　saloon。

To　be　a　saloon…keeper　and　kill　a　man　was　to　be　illustrious。　　Hence　the
reader　will　not　be　surprised　to　learn　that　more　than　one　man　was　killed
in　Nevada　under　hardly　the　pretext　of　provocation；　so　impatient　was　the
slayer　to　achieve　reputation　and　throw　off　the　galling　sense　of　being
held　in　indifferent　repute　by　his　associates。　　I　knew　two　youths　who
tried　to　〃kill　their　men〃　for　no　other　reasonand　got　killed　themselves
for　their　pains。　　〃There　goes　the　man　that　killed　Bill　Adams〃　was　higher
praise　and　a　sweeter　sound　in　the　ears　of　this　sort　of　people　than　any
other　speech　that　admiring　lips　could　utter。

The　men　who　murdered　Virginia's　original　twenty…six　cemetery…occupants
were　never　punished。　　Why？　　Because　Alfred　the　Great；　when　he　invented
trial　by　jury　and　knew　that　he　had　admirably　framed　it　to　secure　justice
in　his　age　of　the　world；　was　not　aware　that　in　the　nineteenth　century　the
condition　of　things　would　be　so　entirely　changed　that　unless　he　rose　from
the　grave　and　altered　the　jury　plan　to　meet　the　emergency；　it　would　prove
the　most　ingenious　and　infallible　agency　for　defeating　justice　that　human
wisdom　could　contrive。　　For　how　could　he　imagine　that　we　simpletons　would
go　on　using　his　jury　plan　after　circumstances　had　stripped　it　of　its
usefulness；　any　more　than　he　could　imagine　that　we　would　go　on　using　his
candle…clock　after　we　had　invented　chronometers？　　In　his　day　news　could
not　travel　fast；　and　hence　he　could　easily　find　a　jury　of　honest；
intelligent　men　who　had　not　heard　of　the　case　they　were　called　to　try
but　in　our　day　of　telegraphs　and　newspapers　his　plan　compels　us　to　swear
in　juries　composed　of　fools　and　rascals；　because　the　system　rigidly
excludes　honest　men　and　men　of　brains。

I　remember　one　of　those　sorrowful　farces；　in　Virginia；　which　we　call　a
jury　trial。　　A　noted　desperado　killed　Mr。　B。；　a　good　citizen；　in　the　most
wanton　and　cold…blooded　way。　　Of　course　the　papers　were　full　of　it；　and
all　men　capable　of　reading；　read　about　it。　　And　of　course　all　men　not
deaf　and　dumb　and　idiotic；　talked　about　it。　　A　jury…list　was　made　out；
and　Mr。　B。　L。；　a　prominent　banker　and　a　valued　citizen；　was　questioned
precisely　as　he　would　have　been　questioned　in　any　court　in　America：

〃Have　you　heard　of　this　homicide？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Have　you　held　conversations　upon　the　subject？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Have　you　formed　or　expressed　opinions　about　it？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Have　you　read　the　newspaper　accounts　of　it？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃We　do　not　want　you。〃

A　minister；　intelligent；　esteemed；　and　greatly　respected；　a　merchant　of
high　character　and　known　probity；　a　mining　superintendent　of　intelligence
and　unblemished　reputation；　a　quartz　mill　owner　of　excellent　standing；
were　all　questioned　in　the　same　way；　and　all　set　aside。　　Each　said　the
public　talk　and　the　newspaper　reports　had　not　so　biased　his　mind　but　that
sworn　testimony　would　overthrow　his　previously　formed　opinions　and　enable
him　to　render　a　verdict　without　prejudice　and　in　accordance　with　the
facts。　　But　of　course　such　men　could　not　be　trusted　with　the　case。
Ignoramuses　alone　could　mete　out　unsullied　justice。

When　the　peremptory　challenges　were　all　exhausted；　a　jury　of　twelve　men
was　impaneleda　jury　who　swore　they　had　neither　heard；　read；　talked
about　nor　expressed　an　opinion　concerning　a　murder　which　the　very　cattle
in　the　corrals；　the　Indians　in　the　sage…brush　and　the　stones　in　the
streets　were　cognizant　of！　　It　was　a　jury　composed　of　two　desperadoes；
two　low　beer…house　politicians；　three　bar…keepers；　two　ranchmen　who　could
not　read；　and　three　dull；　stupid；　human　donkeys！　　It　actually　came　out
afterward；　that　one　of　these　latter　thought　that　incest　and　arson　were
the　same　thing。

The　verdict　rendered　by　this　jury　was；　Not　Guilty。　　What　else　could　one
expect？

The　jury　system　puts　a　ban　upon　intelligence　and　honesty；　and　a　premium
upon　ignorance；　stupidity　and　perjury。　　It　is　a　shame　that　we　must
continue　to　use　a　worthless　system　because　it　was　good　a　thousand　years
ago。　　In　this　age；　when　a　gentleman　of　high　social　standing；　intelligence
and　probity；　swears　that　testimony　given　under　solemn　oath　will　outweigh；
with　him；　street　talk　and　newspaper　reports　based　upon　mere　hearsay；　he
is　worth　a　hundred　jurymen　who　will　swear　to　their　own　ignorance　and
stupidity；　and　justice　would　be　far　safer　in　his　hands　than　in　theirs。
Why　could　not　the　jury　law　be　so　altered　as　to　give　men　of　brains　and
honesty　and　equal　chance　with　fools　and　miscreants？　　Is　it　right　to　show
the　present　favoritism　to　one　class　of　men　and　inflict　a　disability　on
another；　in　a　land　whose　boast　is　that　all　its　citizens　are　free　and
equal？　　I　am　a　candidate　for　the　legislature。　　I　desire　to　tamper　with
the　jury　law。　　I　wish　to　so　alter　it　as　to　put　a　premium　on　intelligence
and　character；　and　close　the　jury　box　against　idiots；　blacklegs；　and
people　who　do　not　read　newspapers。　　But　no　doubt　I　shall　be　defeated
every　effort　I　make　to　save　the　country　〃misses　fire。〃

My　idea；　when　I　began　this　chapter；　was　to　say　something　about
desperadoism　in　the　〃flush　times〃　of　Nevada。　　To　attempt　a　portrayal　of
that　era　and　that　land；　and　leave　out　the　blood　and　carnage；　would　be
like　portraying　Mormondom　and　leaving　out　polygamy。　　The　desperado
stalked　the　streets　with　a　swagger　graded　according　to　the　number　of　his
homicides；　and　a　nod　of　recognition　from　him　was　sufficient　to　make　a
humble　admirer　happy　for　the　rest　of　the　day。　　The　deference　that　was
paid　to　a　desperado　of　wide　reputation；　and　who　〃kept　his　private
graveyard；〃　as　the　phrase　went；　was　marked；　and　cheerfully　accorded。
When　he　moved　along　the　sidewalk　in　his　excessively　long…tailed　frock…
coat；　shiny　stump…toed　boots；　and　with　dainty　little　slouch　hat　tipped
over　left　eye；　the　small…fry　roughs　made　room　for　his　majesty；　when　he
entered　the　restaurant；　the　waiters　deserted　bankers　and　merchants　to
overwhelm　him　with　obsequious　service；　when　he　shouldered　his　way　to　a
bar；　the　shouldered　parties　wheeled　indignantly；　recognized　him；　and
apologized。

They　got　a　look　in　return　that　froze　their　marrow；　and　by　that　time　a
curled　and　breast…pinned　bar　keeper　was　beaming　over　the　counter；　proud
of　the　established　acquaintanceship　that　permitted　such　a　familiar　form
of　speech　as：

〃How're　ye；　Billy；　old　fel？　　Glad　to　see　you。　　What'll　you　takethe　old
thing？〃

The　〃old　thing〃　meant　his　customary　drink；　of　course。

The　best　known　names　in　the　Territory　of　Nevada　were　those　belonging　to
these　long…tailed　heroes　of　the　revolver。　　Orators；　Governors；
capitalists　and　leaders　of　the　legislature　enjoyed　a　degree　of　fame；　but
it　seemed　local　and　meagre　when　contrasted　with　the　fame　of　such　men　as
Sam　Brown；　Jack　Williams；　Billy　Mulligan；　Farmer　Pease；　Sugarfoot　Mike；
Pock　Marked　Jake；　El　Dorado　Johnny；　Jack　McNabb；　Joe　McGee；　Jack　Harris；
Six…fingered　Pete；　etc。；　etc。　　There　was　a　long　list　of　them。　　They　were
brave；　reckless　men；　and　traveled　with　their　lives　in　their　hands。　　To
give　them　their　due；　they　did　their　killing　principally　among　themselves；
and　seldom　molested　peaceable　citizens；　for　they　considered　it　small
credit　to　add　to　their　trophies　so　cheap　a　bauble　as　the　death　of　a　man
who　was　〃not　on　the　shoot；〃　as　they　phrased　it。　　They　killed　each　other
on　slight　provocation；　and　hoped　and　expected　to　be　killed　themselves
for　they　held　it　almost　shame　to　die　otherwise　than　〃with　their　boots
on；〃　as　they　expressed　it。

I　remember　an　instance　of　a　desperado's　contempt　for　such　small　game　as　a
private　citizen's　life。　　I　was　taking　a　late　supper　in　a　restaurant　one
night；　with　two　reporters　and　a　little　printer　namedBrown；　for
instanceany　name　will　do。　　Presently　a　stranger　with　a　long…tailed　coat
on　came　in；　and　not　noticing　Brown's　hat；　which　was　lying　in　a　chair；　sat
down　on　it。　　Little　Brown　sprang　up　and　became　abusive　in　a　moment。　　The
stranger　smiled；　smoothed　out　the　hat；　and　offered　it　to　Brown　with
profuse　apologies　couched　in　caustic　sarcasm；　and　begged　Brown　not　to
destroy　him。　　Brown　threw　off　his　coat　and　challenged　the　man　to　fight
abused　him；　threatened　him；　impeached　his　courage；　and　urged　and　even
implored　him　to　fight；　and　in　the　meantime　the　smiling　stranger　placed
himself　under　our　protection　in　mock　distress。　　But　presently　he　assumed
a　serious　tone；　and　said：

〃Very　well；　gentlemen；　if　we　must　fight；　we　must；　I　suppose。　　But　don't
rush　into　danger　and　then　say　I　gave　you　no　warning。　　I　am　more　than　a
match　for　all　of　you　when　I　get　started。　　I　will　give　you　proofs；　and
then　if　my　friend　here　still　insists；　I　will　try　to　acco