Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 August 1884 — Laughing Jim’s Little Joke. [ARTICLE]

Laughing Jim’s Little Joke.

Many years ago there lived in Putnam, Mich., one James Dismukes, called “Laughing Jim." He was fond of his dram, and under its influence was noisy. On one occasion, when the Superior Court was in session, he went into the court-room, created a great deal of disturbance, and as he could not be kept quiet, the Judge ordered the Sheriff to take him to jail and lock him up. When the Sheriff arrived at the jail with him he unlocked the door and ordered him to enter the cell, Dismukes pretended to be afraid to go first, and asked the Sheriff to lead the way. He did so. As soon as he entered the cell Dismukes suddenly closed the door, locked it, took the key with him, and returned in great glee to the courtroom, and getting on the top of a box, he addressed the court and said: “Your honor, here is the key to the jail, and when you want your Sheriff you will find him locked in jail.” This brought down the court and the bar, and Dismukes went scot free. —Detroit Free Press.,