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Bean did not allow hung juries or appeals,<ref name=davis162/> and jurors, who were chosen from his best bar customers, were expected to buy a drink during every court recess.<ref name=davis166>Davis (1985), p. 166.</ref> Bean was known for his crazy rulings. In one case, an Irishman named Paddy O'Rourke shot a Chinese laborer. A mob of 200 angry Irishmen surrounded the courtroom and threatened to lynch Bean if O'Rourke was not freed. After looking through his law book, Bean ruled that "homicide was the killing of a human being; however, he could find no law against killing a Chinamen".<ref name=davis162/> Bean dismissed the case.<ref name=davis162/>

[[Image:JerseyLilly.JPG||right|thumb|250px|<center>The Jersey Lilly saloon in September 2005</center>]]

By December 1882, railroad construction had moved further westward, so Bean moved his courtroom and saloon 70&nbsp;mi (108&nbsp;km) to Strawbridge. A competitor who was already established in the area laced Bean's whiskey stores with kerosene. Unable to attract customers, Bean left the area and went to Eagle'sNest, 20&nbsp;mi (31&nbsp;km) west of the Pecos River.<ref name=davis162/> The site was soon renamed [[Langtry, Texas|Langtry]].<ref name=davis163>Davis (1985), p. 163.</ref> The original owner of the land, who ran a saloon, had sold {{convert|640| acre|sqkm|-1}} to the railroad on the condition that no part of the land could be sold or leased to Bean. O'Rourke, the Irishman Bean had previously acquitted, told Bean to use the railroad right-of-way, which was not covered by the contract. For the next 20&nbsp;years, Bean squatted on land he had no legal right to claim.<ref name=davis163/> Bean named his new saloon The Jersey Lilly in honor of [[Lillie Langtry]].<ref name=davis163/> He sent for his children to live with him at the saloon, with youngest son Sam forced to sleep on a pool table.<ref name=davis165/>

Langtry did not have a jail, so all cases were settled by fines. Bean refused to send the state any part of the fines, but instead kept all of the money. In most cases, the fines were made for the exact amount in the accused's pockets. Bean is known to have sentenced only two&nbsp;men to hang, one of whom escaped. Horse thieves, who were often sentenced to death in other jurisdictions, were always let go if the horses were returned.<ref name=davis166>Davis (1985), p. 166.</ref> Although only district courts were legally allowed to grant divorces, Bean did so anyway, pocketing $10 per divorce. He charged only $5 for a wedding, and ended all wedding ceremonies with "and may God have mercy on your souls".<ref>dDavis (1985), p. 167.</ref>