The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1854-10-28
SELF DEFENCE TRIUMPHANT.

DELI UET ENCE lNlU MI ii AN i.
At the last term of the Orange County
Court, New York, the following case was
tried, upon which the jury was addressed by
the dcfcndcnt, who had concluded to appear
in his own defence:
THE PEOPLE VS.. JAMES ALLERToN.-Th
was very interesting case, rendered so from
the fact that the defendant acted as ''his own
lawyer" on the trial, without having the adj
vantage of being one of the legal Fraternity.
His summing up," of which We are able to
give nearly verbatim report, with the OK
ccption of the "acting," was decidedly rich,
and afforded much amusement for the legal
gentlemen present. The defendant, who is a
small red-haired, thin specimen of a Yankee,
was indicted for an assault battery on one Mr.
Doddcr The facts, as divulgcd upon trial,
are briefly as follows: The defendant is in
tic employ of the Mongaup Valley, Forrest
burg, and Port Jervis Plank Road Company
as toll ,gathcrcr, and resides upon the road,
some miles above Port Jcrvisc. He and the
complainant, Mr. Doddcr, arc near ncighbors.
On a Sunday in February last the defendant
saw the complainant in the act Of beating
his (dcftnlant's) cows along the highway,
and, as an inducement for him to quit, hurled
a few stones at him, one of which, as the COM
panant testified, struck him on the back of
the neck.
The testimony being concluded, the dcfen-
d,nt addressed the jury as follows:
Gentlcmen Of HE Jury: don't know much
about law, and since the trial has been going
on have concluded that ought to know
little more. | ought to apologize perhaps
for appearing in my own defence, and will
do so by telling you that | feed one lawyer
and hired another in this case, but they both
come up missing when need them most.
suppose | might have secured the services of
some of these other Limbs of the law" that
| | sec around me. but, having been cheated
| by two Of en- concluded to go it con my
| own hook, and here am II want to tell you
gentcmen, before go further, that it is not
my fault that this case is here taking up the
time of this honorable court. | think you
will give me credit for telling the truth when
I say this ought to have b,cn tried before a
Justice of the Peace, it being better adapted
ted to the capacities of such a court than
of this one. After this difficulty Dodder did
get warrant for me from Squire Cudd,bacls
over in Dcerrark. He then charged that
had insulted him, but five or six months
have freshencd his recollection, and he now
says that assaulted and battered him. |
believe there is some difference between the
two charges.
Doddcr says he swore to the complaint be-
fore Squire Cuddcback, and | leave it to you
to say whether he tells the truth now in say
ing that battered him. was taken by
constable before the Squire, and either be-
cause the Justice was ashamed of what he
had already done or hadn't time to at
tend to it, I don't know which, it went
down. Two or three weeks after that | was
arrested again, and, my wife having been
confined, thought it best, as a dutiful hus-
band, to be around hum, so got rid of it by
giving security for my appearance to court.
You know, gentlemen, that l am in the
employ of the Mongaup Valley Forrestburg,
and Port Jcrvis Plank Road Company as a
gate keeper. This company, it seems, had
sufficient confidence in my integrity and hon
csty to place me in that important station,
and even if should receive IS 900 and steal
81 500 of it, that's between me and the COM
pany, and its none of Doddcr's business.
Now, when the company sent me mp along
this road to collect tolls, this Dodder was one
Of the inhabitants found there in the woods
and ! will say for him that he is very fair
specimen of the rest of the population. But
tn ere ism any of them that seem to appre-
ciatc all the benefits of this plank road.
1t let out to civilization class of people
who never before realized the idea that there
was such thing as civilized life, and this
Dodder was one of them. 1t is a fact that
soon after moved there young woman, II
years old, cum down out of the mountains on
the plank road one day and said she had
never been out before She fairly seemed sur
prised to see white man, and after asking a
few questions went back into the woods.
This Dodder was my nearest neighbor, and
good deal nearer than wanted him; and l
hadn't ocen there long before heard he had
been lying about me to one Of the directors,
and soon found out that he wanted to get
his son, who was sworn here against me, in my
place. But he hasn't done it yet, and if you
don't convict me reckon he wont very soon.
1t won't take long to dispose of Dodder
No 9. He testifcs that he saw me throw
three stones at his father, and saw the ''old
man dodge" On his cross-examination he
says that he was in his own house in the
woods, and had to look over hill twenty
feet high, and also over three slab fences and
two stone wallis Well, if he tells the truth
all wish is that l had young Dodder's eyes.
lie is certainly remarkable boy, and can't
consistently deny his 'father."
am willing to admit that did wrong to
throw stones at Dodder, and apologize to
all the world, and this court particularly, for