Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1852-11-27
DectOrIng Fish To make them
u,rAsln.

A retailer of asll from Blliiligsgate MAJ
ket, named Gibson, was accused ny M.
Goodman, the clerk, who stated that b
had a great deal OF trouble with defendant
who had been constantly Ia the habit Q
imposing Oh the public by the tricks OF hi
trade. lie puts the gills OF fresh fish int,
the bodies of fish that have been lonl
dead, and he also supplies the heads Q
sinking fish with fresh eyes. Sometime
he throws a little blood amongst the pal'
old pilIs ofa ii.l,, aud the old ladies' are de
cieved by tile freshness of the appearance
The cod or mackerel actually looking as |
Ii had Just passed the agonies OF death
and they throw down their money will
pleasure for a prize which, when they ee
II home, turns out to be as bad US three
weeks old milt.
Tie Lord Mayor have often heard Q
| giving new feathers to birds, and of max
ing a "wouderful crocodile" Of the skin o
a buffalo lined with block tin, but ! neveI
heard of making up foodin the market be
fore.
MIR. Goldham-It was only the othel
day that he imposed Il Dutch plaice upol
an old lady for what he called a turbot
(Laughter.) She said, "Oh dear a turhot.'
"Ye-, ma'atn, (says le,) just like a paro.
quet, what's like a parrot, hut younger
aud more tender" So the lady took
home her turbot, and it was more tender,
sure enough. prolonged laughter) The
lady CAME down the next day, but Tom
was too good a Judge to be there. She
bad paid 3s. for the turbot, and he had
sold its fellows, when they were good, al
4d. a piece (L~aughter)
The Lord Mayor-Ts it true, defendant,
that you act in this way
Giison-Why my Lord, they do put
new gills and eyes into the fish what
comes up to the market but howsom.
dever, the fish ant the worse for having
bad eyes and white gills. The fish may
be good fish though his eyes is sore.
(Laughter.) But there's some people as
won't have no fish as Amt perfect every
where, aud so we we're obligated for TO
please 'en. and we do put in n fresh eye
or two what looks bright, and the eyes
glisten they says LII have that an. loud
laughter) Howsomdever. we never beau.
titles barren this Ash is good fish.
The Lord Mayor ito MI. Goldham)-
And is il the fact that people are imposed
upon by this sort of dealings?
MFR. Golgham-Not a doubt Of il, my
Lord. A lady bought a turbot. a short
time ago, from this man, aud, as 1t had
been lying by on his form for some time,
1t began to get flabby. To remedy this
defect he showed a stick up the body,
which, OF course. became quite stiff
enough, aud he soon found a customer.
Down came the lady hex day, to the ter.
ror of the defendant, who, however, had
much reason to be frightened. for she
says to him, "My good man, don't blame
you, but we conduit eat a bit Of the poor
turbot yesterday. Do you know that the
poor unfortunate fish must have suffered a
great deal Of agony? for, upon boiling
him, we found that he had swallowed a
piece of timber very nearly as long as him.
(Lauehter.)
Gilson-But the fish was good, please
your Lordship. This lady didn't think
was any good in him il he want as
stiff ms a poker; and [ thinked it want no
harm for to ram a bit Of clean wood into
him, for to make it an ont and out caper.
(Lauehter) She might have ct him if
she shuse, for the whites he got arter the
life was out on him done him no harm.
The Lord Mayor Well, you have act
ed %candidly, at any rate, and have confess
ed that you are a practiced imposter; but
pray, what sort Of blood do you color the
gills Of the fish with?
Gilson-It don't signify, please you,
my Lordship; any blood as is nearest at
hand.
The Lord Mayor to the defendant.
pray how much do Won get for doc.
oring stale FISH in this manner, to, gull
md cheat the public with ?
Gilson--I'd like to have a little to do
n that way, my Lord, but not by any
means for cheating. I take pride in beau
flying the watery mammals. but they new
I stinks in my hands. Laughter.1
The Lord Mayor-For all thst I'll
make you ind bail.
Here the son Of the defendant, also a
Ssh retailer, but a respectable young man,
ffered bail. and it was Immediately receiv
and the man discharged.
HAE&i