The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1845-05-08
Low 10 I'LL TWO BIgDS VIII ONE
NIONE.
on THE WAY THOMAS JEFFERSON JENKINS
cor A START IN TnE WORLD.
b. the AurhOr of Major Jones's eOur.zhip,"
coneIuied.

cor A START IN TnE WORLD.
b. the aurhOr Of Major JOnss's eOurslhips"
cOneIuded.
There had been a dearIh Of incident in
Pinsyllle Tor some tine. AMI the various
exaggerated uepnrls Of The affair that had
given rise 10 the prosfeuilon-whIeh soon
spread throughout The Iown--hsd lhe ef-
feet 10 assemble considerable eoneourse
ofpeople Al the magistrates Office 10 Wit
ness the proceedings. Like most men, Mr..
Harley had his enemies a. well as friends,
and. a. il usually The case in small villa
ges, friends and loes took opposite sides.
and The msiier began 10 assume the cha.
rscler Of party question. While some
were shocked beyond measure al the pro-
eeediRg. aud did not hesitate 20 express
the opinion that Perkins was himself The
thief. an equal number vas as ready 10
credit tie accusation against Mr. Harley;
in which opinion their judgments were
fortified by The sudden recollection olnu-
merous transactions IN The past history Of
that gentleman, which they never had
been able 10 reconcile with their own no
tons Of honesty and fair dealing.
| Blu, 10 proceed with The case Of
STATE VS. ABsALoM HARLEY.
! Mr.. Harley having made his appear.
anee, and The Witnesses being all IN al
tendance, Squire Rogers proceeded with
due formality to make the necessary pre-.
partitions for entering upon The discharge
Of his ofiicisI duties. Having arranged
his books aud papers comprising a d.
ees, If the laws Of Georgia. a copy o'
the Bible. an AImansc for the year, and q
half-quire Of foolscsP paper upon the tabl'
before him, he wiped his speciacles with
his handkerchief. and placed them deli
.berately sstride OF his nose-then assum'
ing an air Of Judicial gravity, for which hi:
face was mos! admirably adsp,ed,-snt
which, 10 The honest mans opinion, va
a highly imporian, function OF the magis
sst,ai orlaNos--bS-os5e'sd sniPe, tho con
stable, TO bring fresh pitcher OF water
after which he announced that he wa
ready TO proceed in the investig o
the case.
At the request Of the magistrate, Tho
mas Jefferson jenkins, ESQ.,, who with
considerable number of legal books, oc
cupied one end of the 'squire's table
rose and read the warrant. Mr.. Harle,
listened with an air ofincredulous uncon
Germ, which, by the unprejudiced, wa;
considered as strongly indicative Of hI'
innocence, but which the opposite party
regarded as the brazen faced insoIence o
csre-hsrdened guilt.
"AbssIom Harley" said Squire Ro
gers, in a very solemn and imposing man
ner, "you have hesrn This charge agir
you-is you got any answer to make IL
this court"
Mr.. Harley was about to speak, but
unfortunately for him, could not resist ;
laugh at The ludicrous position in whlcI
he found himself. Such conduct woult
have prejudiced better cause
"Sllence in The courtn' exclaimed th,
outraged magistrate. Then leaning for
ward and gazing fierceIy at the prisoner
until bis eyes became green with venom
he continued" Is you laughin' at ,hi:
court, sir,-tbis court didn't Tome here Ic
be laughed at, not by no kinds of charac.
ter, sir. This court are The law of The
land, sir-and no kind Of character what.
somever has RICH. 10 make game Of the
law, cir"
"Why, Rogers. Fm--"
"This court amt named Rogers. sir
this cour, don't know nobody bu. the law
this court are regular consli.oot' onsl
authority. and amt irresponsible TO nobo.
,dy but justice and the laws OF Georgia"
"Bu, meant no d'srespet To-"
"Shence. sir-,his cour. don'I disre'
'specl nobody out Of the law-,his court,
sir. are a court, and don't know who's
guilty till they prove themselves innocent
according to law, for this cour, are bliuC
out of the law-and don't know moth
ing"
"That's fact" interrupted Harley,
adding in an under TONE" and it is use
less TO multiply words, Tor this cour. are
id fool ~
"ls you gwine 10 answer the question
of this court!" peremp,oriIy demanded
the Squire, too much enraged to hear The
concluding remark Of the prisoner. lis
you guilty or not guilty I"
"0f course I'm not guilty." replied
Harley, who, by this time. had come &c
understand that he had nothing to expec
from ",his court" bu. wha, he might be
tenti,led to under the strictest construction
Of the law; and he now began to feel some
degree of solictude 10 the matter which
he had first regarded as perfectly ridlcu'
lous.
well, sir, we'll see about that" sale
The squire in severe tone. esquire Jen
kins, you may proceed with The case"
! All eyes were Immediately turned up