Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-04-15

SAINT, crier is a very ill-used parsonage;
such is his humanity, he stands by the
most worthless of mankind in their hour
of trial, and cries at their misfortunes,
though the ungrateful wretches never
thank him for it.
The clerk proceeded to call the jury,
but the prisoner challenged every name
that was called. By the help of tales
men, however, panel was completed
by halfpast eleven at night, when the
court adjourned to meet the ensuing NOR
ming at eleven o'clock; at which time
the trial was resumed. "a
The clerk of the court had got half
through the reading of the indictment,
when he was interrupted by Mr.. Both
erem, who moved to quash the inJfct-
ment, on the ground, that in the Copy
served on him, the is in the ,oittingy, on
the fifth line of the eightieth page had
not been crossed, in consequence of
which the word was not wittingjy, but
willingy; and, as he feelingly 3conten-
ded, how could the prisoner be prepared
to meet the charges against him, if he
was misled by his copy of the indict-
ment, to suppose he was to be tried for
committing crime ,0illingly,, when in
fact he was to be tried for doing it pit-
tingyl The principles of law and JUS
tice require that the accused should know
distinctly of ,ohdt he is accused. Todd
v. Lockwood, 2, Coun. Rep. 375. Ew-
ing v. Post, 7, Iaunt. 25. fisherman ".
Watson, T East. 96. Black Com. 24s,
8 Johns. 629. Mr.. Botherem therefore
moved for the discharge Of the prisoner.
The district attorney replied with his
accustomed eloquence; and was follow
ed by Mr.. Quibblequirk in a strain of
eloquence and feeling hitherto unequal
led in our halls of justice. The learned
counsel having sat down amid the silent
and ldignided applause of an overwhelm-
ing and gaping auditory, Judge Frizzle-
head helped himself from Alderman
Philpot's snuf-box, and directed the clerk
to proceed with the Indictment; which
being read,
The prisoner was then directed to
hold up his hand. He held up his left
hand. THE other hand,' said the clerk !;
the prisoner held up both hands. The
court interposed, instructng the prison
er to hold up his right hand F; whereup-
on he held up his left; the judge, indig-
nant al this contumacy, ordered the pris-
oner into custody for contempt OF
court.
Il don't know what you would have
exclaimed the unfortunate Mortimer,
smothering whimper; you tell me to
hold up my right hand now | should
suppose my left hand to be my right one,
for, dye see, happen to be left-handed.'
= This is an embarrassing question:
said the judge, resorting again to the
snuff-box, in which his example was fol-
lowed by the aldermen associated with
him on the bench. Mr.. Botherem avail
ed himself of the occasion to repeat his
motion for the discharge Of the prison
er. The learned counsel referred to the
recent case, Stumpem verses Norris
This was an action of libel for the pub
lication in the New York Mirror of an
article calculated to prejudice the sale
Of Stumpem's quintuple patent pens
No other witness appearing in behalf OF
the pens, the prosecutor offered his own
testimony that they were as good pens as
he euer ,prote aoith but on offering to
administer the oath, it appeared he could
neither lay his hand upon the Bible, or
hold up his hand, having been born with
out hands. OF course he could not be
sworn, and his testimony was rejected.
Mr.. Snapdragon- With submission
to my learned brother, he is no better
than an ignoramus the case cited is ir>
relevant.
Mr.. SaucWaw-You mean then to
contradict the counsel for the defencel
Snapdragon-That | do, and you may
make the most of it.
SaucWaw-(Sepnating his fore and
middle finger, and closing them fercely
upon his Mumb) Then sir, consider
yourself disgraced man; consider
your nose pulled. 4
Snapdragon--And you, sir, consider
yourself a dead man; and consider your
nose demolished witha satisfaction piece.
SaucWa,o--Sir, ] am perfectly salts
fed.
Snapdragon-And, sir, so am I.
Here the learned counsel shook hands.
Judge Frizzlehead having in the mean
time whispered with the aldermen, his
honor decided that the prisoner should
holdup both hands and plead.
: And the prisoner pleaded-guilty |
Guilty An electric shock ran through
the audience. St
.Guilty r echoed Claptrap, is the