The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-12-31

by'ne mine got, dis dam Yankee got der
counterfeit monish!''
Maybe there wasn't general muss.
The Yankee abroad, at all times genus
of supposed duplicity, trickiness, sharp
bargains, and cute "dodges," was at this
critical epoch-the time that Ohio was so
plenliiully supplied with "bogus" by
his suspicious manGuvering. made an es-
pecal object of misrust and doubt. The
bare mention of his presenting a counter
felt dollar was the cue for all the lockers on
TO rush up to the counter, surround the
down easter. and examine the dollar, while
the deputy shopman made break for the
constable. The whole movement was so
suddenly executed, that down east found
himself in the hands Of the fangs Of the
law before he could we'll say "punkins." f"
A grand raft OF folks honored the "down
cast with procession to the office of that
high and mighty pussisnt arm Of the mu-
nicipal law-the magistrate.
Passing counterfeit money, eh?" in
qured the magistrate OF tho plaintiff.
Yaw; dat is do monish vot he vos pass
on me-" saws the Dutchman.
"Ump, ah! yes, yes. base counterfeit
rascally fraud" continues the magistrate,
feeling the greasy white coin. which was
nickcd by penknife, rung, smeled, and
otherwise treated by the tales de circum-
Siantibus.
"Well, Mr.. Bomwig," says his honor,
"go on and tell how and when this trans
action took place and all about it," His
honor then gave magisurial snort and
cough, and the beer man went on TO state
his case.
well, then. squhires, was behind mine
clark, and all desc oder gent.amen vos
sthanding dere, too, vel, vile vos going
out, dis tam"
"Come, come, sir no swearing here,
Mr.. Bomwig," says the magistrate.
"Vell. den, squhres, dis 1T Yankees
COON into mine shop, eat mine cakes and
dhrinkt mine beer, den ta-ta-(magistrate
shakes his head den he, dis Yankee shews
down 10 fourteen cents, and den he gives
dis ta-(Gown from the msgstrate) dis
boyle tollar, vot ish tam spurious coun-
terlet"
81 shall fine you five dollars for that path,
sir" said the magistrate in rage.
That's right, squire; put it tu the darn
ed critier, consarn him"
"Silence! you rascal, or III send you
to the Penitentisry without hearing"
says the ioaming magistrate to the Yam
kee, who had, up to the moment of break
ing silence, been quietly chipping off the
top Of "a very ugly cane in his possession.
"O well, squire, if yeou say so, guess
I'll shct my pan at once; and ef yeou jest
hand over that pewter o. mine. guess III
pu, eout ov this town any how''
"Will you! Well see about that, you
rascal" responded the magistrate. Nov
constable" he continued. "search the ras-
cal; see how much Of that base coin he
has secreted about him.
The Yaokee was forthwith tnmbled over,
tumbled and tossed, every seam and quar-
ter Of his rough, plain and substantial tog-
gerry duly sc0ninized, and the contents
large jack knife, piece Of chalk strings.
wallet and two letters were placed up
on the desk of the magistrate But the
contents OF the wallet exhibited several
huHdyed dollars N good specie paying
bank funds, god piece and two five
francs, all genoo-ine stuff although the
court tried mighty hard to throw some
doubts upon the purity of the funds. it was
no 90. and the attempt to question the
means by which so much money came
into the possession OF such queer, COM
mon looking blped, proved equally fertile.
as the examination Of the letters indicated
very distinctly that the down easter had a
dad and man of some repute in the State
of Maine, and heaps Of love, and affec-
tons and regard for their preambulatng
offspring now in the meshes of the Wes-
tern Law.
"lIave you been robbing any body, sir?
are these your letters. and this your money.
sir?" inquired the magistrate, keenly scru-
tinizing the Yankee.
"Well. squire. reckon rs heow them
docka.ments be mine, ef | know nythng
abeout law and gospel. And"
"What is your calling--what do you
follow tor living!" interrupted the magis-
trate.
"What do follow for livin? Yeas;
well, squire, | live abeout like other folks.
deou breathe principally, and"
"Come, sir, no impudence," says the
magistrate, "snswsr direct TO the point.
How came you in possession Of the coun.
terfet dollar, this vile fraud, eh?'
"Connterfeit" says the Yankee, with
evident spirit, "counterfeit dollar? Squire,
deou yeou pretend to say that dollar is
counterfeit"
"Counterfeit sir? certainly | do; and if
you don't render ready and distinct ac-
count of how it cameinto your possession,
shall commit you forthwith" ("
"Well, perhaps yeou will" says the
,olC noscaecod down n ctar Rnt I oalou.