Challenges to misdemeanor arrests rarely make it to the Missouri Supreme Court, but that’s what happened in the case of a Pike County Missouri man who literally held life or death in his hands.

Named for a Confederate general who had served as governor, Sterling Price Hamlett was born in New Hartford on Jan. 11, 1863. He eventually opened a drug store in nearby Ashley.

Just after his 44th birthday, Hamlett was busted on a charge that he dispensed medicine without being a registered pharmacist. State authorities said no occupation could be more helpful or harmful.

A sign reading “Drug Store” appeared over the front door of Hamlett’s business, and records showed he kept “wine, whiskey, drugs, poisons and medicines” among other items on the shelves.

Fitting for an apothecary, many of the bottles’ content descriptions were in Latin. The store apparently did have a periodic registered pharmacist named Dr. Adolph Henning, but he was not called to testify.

Instead, the defense argued the 1899 law was unconstitutionally written. It implied the defendant kept most of the described articles, but only re-sold them in original packages.

Hamlett was convicted twice before appealing to the Missouri Supreme Court, which sided with the Pike County jury in refusing to overturn the verdict.

Hamlett had to pay a $100 fine – the equivalent today of more than $2,600. He died at age 75 on Nov. 2, 1938, and is buried in Bowling Green City Cemetery.