Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1854-11-09
! Miisesiiapy.
Every Man his own Lawyer.
SELF DErExcE rRtuMPnANr.


Attke lastiefm Of the Orange County
New York. Court. the following cass was
tried. upon which The jury was addressed
by the defendant. who had included 10
appear in his own defence!
The People vs.. James At,erton. - This
was yery interesting case, rendered so
from tho fact that The defendant acted as
Lis own lawysr" on the trial. without
having The advantage Of being one OF the
legal fraternity. Ha ''summing up. OF
slich We are able to give nearly YER
batim report, with the exception Of the
acting" was decidedly rich; and Afford
ed much amusement for the legal gentle
men present The defendant. who 10
small, red-haired, thin specimen Of .
Yankee. was indicted for an assault aud
battery on one Mr.. Dodd.r. The facts
as divulged upon nial. are bli,ay as fol,
lows:
The defendant is in the employ IT the
Mongaap Valley, Forrestburg and Port
Jsrvis Plank Road Company. Is toll
gatherer. and resides upon the road, some
miles above Pot Jefvis. He and the
complainant. Mr. Dodder. are near neigh
bors. @H@a @ @fSf @e@
On Sunday in February last. the de.
fendant sss the complainant. in the ACT
Of beating his defendant. cows along
the highway. aud 40 an inducement Tor
him to quiz. hurled few stones 1t him.
one Of which. as the com lainant testified
struck him oh the back Of the neck.
The ties imeny being concluded. the
defendant add. ersed he Jury 90 follows:
Genairatn Of he Jury IL doa'l know
much abont law, and since the trial has
been going on / have concluded that /
ought 10 know q little more. ought TO
apologize. pe,haps. for appealing in my
own defence. and viii do SO BY telling
| you that I feed one lawyer, and hited
another. ia this case. but they both come
up missing when / need them most. ]
suppose / might have secured the services
OF some Of these other climbs Of the law. /"
that zee around me. but having been
cheated BY two 81 EN-, I concluded 10 20
i con my own hook" and here ! am J. ]
want TO tell you, gentlemen. before 60
fatth.r. that il Is not my fault that this
case il here taking up the time Of this
hosorable court. think you will give
me credit Tor telling The truth, when, ]
say that It ought 10 have been tried be-
fole Justice Of the Peace. i being bet;
lei adapted to the capacities Of such !
court Than tl,is one. After this difficult
II Dodder did get warrant for me
from Squire Cuddleback, over, in Deer.
pax. He then charged that / had IN,
suited Lin. bul Eve o., Xix months Il, /
freshencd lis recollection, and he nov
| says that j assaulted and bsitcred him
I believe III. 70 Is some d,fltrence bs,weel
tie Two charges. s ~. y.
7 Doddrr says he s.wore 10 he complaint
before Soul : cuddeback. and | leave Il
for Cd 10 ssy whe,icr he tells lie truth
nov, III "a, ING that ] battered him. j wa,
taken BY 4 constable befo,e the squire.
and ether because Tie Jusiics WAS ashs;
med q. what he had al,sady done. or had
rot lime. 10 attend 10 il, !, don't know
which. il went down., Two o. th,es
weeks Alter ,hat L was arrested again
and ny wife haiing been, confined, 4
thought i best. IS : du.ifuI husband. &
Re around hum. 20 ! got rid Of Il 81 Civ
| ING sseurily for my appearance a Court
You know. genllemeD. thai I am ia III,
employ Of tie Mongaup Valley, Forest
| burg and Port Jtrsis PlaRk Road Com.
pany, as 4 gate keeper. This CompanI
Il seems, had sufficient copfdence n mJ
e. tasJsssss sv,d Enh. etw ~ y,iSrA sao z, ~