He offered the deputy sheriff four hundred dollars to release him, but this offer was rejected. I may add that at a future day Ben got even with this official, which exploit will be recounted hereafter. Not only did the deputy refuse the money, but he insisted on taking Ben to Warren, Pa., a distance of thirty-six miles, in a sleigh, claiming that it was not safe to travel by the cars.
Through the snow and slush, Ben was accordingly taken to Warren as a prisoner. He had with him a plentiful supply of money, and upon reaching the town deposited a thousand dollars with the sheriff as security for his appearance in court the next day. Instead, therefore, of passing the night in jail, he sat down to a quiet game of draw-poker, in which he roasted his friend the sheriff to the tune of two or three hundred dollars. This was a good deal pleasanter way of passing the time than being shut up in a cell.
When the morning came the whole town of Warren was in a state of intense excitement. It had become noised about that Ben Hogan—the terrible, the wicked, the notorious Ben Hogan—was stopping at the hotel, and was about to be brought to trial. The court room was packed to its utmost capacity. Everybody was straining his eyes to get a glimpse of the wickedest man in the world. Ben took his seat in the prisoner’s dock and quietly awaited the proceedings.
At last the judge addressed our hero, saying:
“Hogan, I find that there are five indictments against you, all growing out of the charge of keeping a disorderly house. I need not specify the charges, as you know well enough what they are. Do you plead guilty or not guilty?”
“Not guilty!” answered Ben. Then rising to his feet, he continued: “If your honor please, I shall be glad to explain this whole matter to you, so that you may judge for yourself the nature of my offences. I will cheerfully answer any question which your honor sees fit to ask.”
“Very well,” said the judge. “I will ask you first, what sort of a place is it which you are keeping in Babylon?”
“A restaurant and gymnasium,” was Ben’s prompt reply. “Open to both ladies and gentleman!”
“What have you got in this gymnasium?” queried the judge, who had himself given a good deal of attention to physical culture.
“Well, the apparatus which is generally found in such places. Dumb-bells, Indian-clubs, boxing-gloves, pulley-weights, rings, bars, etc.”