Judge Roy Bean

Writing today’s poem was different. The lines rhyme like they should, but its how the poem evolved that’s different.

 Normally I find a photo that “talks” to me and I can write a poem from the picture’s story. Today’s picture prompted me to find out more information about the legendary Judge Roy Bean. It was the interesting bits of trivia that I found doing research on the internet that eventually came together in a poem. In the picture below, the Judge, seated on the barrel, jug at his side, is holding trial on a suspected horse thief……Enjoy

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In the late 1800’s in a tent city called Vinegaroon

A tough hard-drinking man opened a small saloon

Serving whiskey to railway workers from a tent

As his own best customer, his elbow was often bent

As the railroad slowly progressed in its westward quest

He moved his thriving business farther to the west

In this unchartered territory where living was rough

Need soon arose for a lawman and he’d better be tough

When appointed Justice of the Peace, he served with zeal

His court rules were simple: No hung jury and no appeal

Tapping his gun on the bar, “Courts in session,” he exclaims!

He’s the “Law West of the Pecos” just as the sign proclaims

Disturbing the peace was quite often on his docket

The fine. . . . “The change you had in your pocket”

Stories ranged from good, to bad, to “holy smokes”

Legend says that he, as the law, hung a lot of folks

But history suggests all the hangings may not be true

Well, maybe, he said, “Hang ‘um!” to a horse thief or two

Even they may have been “allowed” to escape by night

If they’d return the horse and disappear from his sight

Under this boisterous lawman’s leathery hide

A kind and charitable heart was gently beating inside

To the sick and needy, his charity was often shown

With food and medicine; always as “donor unknown”

It was man versus liquor in a heavy drinking spree

The Judge passed away in the year nineteen-o-three

A rustic museum in Langtry, TX is the historic scene

Where, in Peace, rests the Honorable Judge Roy Bean!

                                                           Poem by Herm Meyer

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STUFF:

There is a lot more trivia that is not included in my poem.

Some special areas that I found interesting were his early adventurous life, his family life and his secret “crush” on British actress Lillie Langtry.

It’s rumored that the Judge was responsible for naming the town of Langtry, TX after Lillie. What about the name of his saloon, ’The Jersey Lilly”? Was it just a coincidence?

Did you know that Roy and his brothers were known as the “Frijoles Brothers”? (Frijoles is Mexican for beans)

Doing a “Google” internet search of Judge Roy Bean will provide some interesting reading.