Judge Roy Bean’s notary office, which served as a saloon as well. Texas, 1900
Judge Roy Bean’s Notary Office and Saloon – Texas, 1900
At the turn of the 20th century, deep in the rugged and lawless lands of West Texas, one of the most unusual courtrooms in American history stood—a place where justice and whiskey flowed in equal measure. This was the notary office and saloon of Judge Roy Bean, the self-proclaimed “Law West of the Pecos.”
A Saloon That Served as a Courthouse
Judge Roy Bean’s establishment, officially called the “Jersey Lilly,” was both a bar and a makeshift courthouse. Located in the small town of Langtry, it was a simple wooden structure, dusty from the desert winds and filled with the scent of whiskey and cigar smoke. The front room housed barrels of liquor and a worn wooden counter where locals and passing cowboys drank, while in the back, Bean dispensed his own brand of frontier justice.
Roy Bean’s Unique Style of Justice
Although he had no formal legal training, Roy Bean appointed himself as the local justice of the peace. He based his rulings on common sense, personal judgment, and a law book he barely consulted. Trials were often held right at the bar, with Bean listening to arguments while sipping whiskey. His verdicts were final—there was no appeal in his court.
His rulings were legendary. In some cases, he fined criminals the exact amount of money they had in their pockets. He once postponed an execution because the condemned man was too drunk, and in another instance, he ruled in favor of a corpse after discovering that the deceased had a winning poker hand at the time of his death.
A Symbol of the Wild West
Judge Roy Bean’s notary office and saloon became a legendary symbol of the untamed American frontier. While his legal practices were questionable, his influence on Texas history is undeniable. He maintained order in a lawless land, all while running one of the most infamous saloons of the Old West.
By 1900, times were changing, but Bean’s reputation remained. He was more than a judge and a saloonkeeper—he was a character larger than life, a relic of the Wild West’s lawless days. Today, his name still echoes in Western folklore as the man who dispensed justice with a drink in hand.
