The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1854-11-03
Every Man his own Lawyer.
seIf-D cfenco Triumphant.
ALLERToN vs.. DoDDrR

4 = ~'~'NNS = 's"''Phbbt
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-ALLERToN vs.. DoDDER.
At the last term of the Orange Co. (N. Y.
Court avery queer case camo before tht
Court for consideration, which we find re-
ported as follows in the Hewburg Gazette o
this week:-
\ The People vs. James Allerton. This
was very interesting case, rendered SO from
the fact shat the defendant acted as "bi.
own lawyer" on the trial, Without having the
advantage of being one Of the legal frster-
4 nifty, His Summing up," of which We are
ahlH to give noarly q yekyssiip report, with
the exception of tlsy"acseig,', was decidedly
rich, and afforded much amusement for the
legal gentleman present. The delt, who is
4 small, rcG-haired, thin specimen of Yam
kee, was indicted for an assault and battery
on one Mr. Dodder. The facts, as divulged
upon trial as briefly os follows The defend
ant is in the employ Of the Mongauy Valley,
Forrestburg and Fort Jersis Plank Roa
Company as toll G atherer, and resides up
on the road, some miles above Port Jeryis.-
lie and the complainant, MIR. DoGder, are
near neighbors.
On Sunday in February last, the deft.
saw the complainant in the act of beating
his, (defts0 cows along the highway, and as
ian inducement for him toquit, hurled a few
| stones at him, one of which, as the complai-
nant testified, struck him on the back of the
neck.
The testimony being concluded, the de-
fendant addressed the Jury as follows:
GENTLEMEN OF THE RY!--I don't know
much about law, and since this trial has been
going OIL have concluded that l ought to
know little more. / ought to apologize
perhaps for appearing in my own defence ,and
will do SO by telling you, that fed one
lawyer, and hired another: in this case, but
they both come up missing, when l need
them most. l suppose might have secured
the services of some of these other climbs Of
the law that | see around me, but having
been cheated by two Of em, concluded to
go it 'on my own hook and here I am!
want to tell you gentlemen. before 20 far
ther, 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 say that it ought to
have been tried before Justice of the Peace
ii being better adapted to the capacities of
such court, than Of this one After this
difficulty DoJder did gel warrant for me,
from Squire Cuddeback, over in Deerpark
He then charged that had frss6ited him. but
five or six months had freshened his recol-
lection, and he now says that | assaulted
and battered him. | believe there is me
difference between the two charges.
Dodder says he swore to the complaint be-
fore Squire Cuddeback, and leave it for you
to say whether he tells the truth now in say.
ing that oattered him. | was taken by a
constable before the Squire, and either be-
cause the Justice was ashamed ofwhat he had
already done, or hadn't time to attend to it,
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 q dutiful husband, to be around
hum, so got rid of it by giving security for
my appearance to court.
You know gentlemen that ON in the en-
ploy of the Mongoup Valley, Forestburg and
Port Jervis Plank Rsad Company, as gate !
keeper. This company it seems h i'd suifi
clent confidence in my integrity and honesty
to place me in that important station, and
oven if should receive $4,000, and steal ST.
300 of it, that's between me and the Compa-
ny, and its none of Dodder's business. Now
when the Company sent me along this road |
10 collect tolls this Doddel was one of the in
habltants found there in the woods, and | |
Will say for him that he is very fair speci- |
men of the rest of the population. But there
isn't any of them that seem TO appreciate all
the benefits of this Plank Road.
1t let out to civilization clas5 oc people
who never before realized the idea that there
was such a thing as civilized life, and this
Dodder is one of them. 1t is 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 surpri-
'ed to see white man, and after asking a
'ew questions went back into the woods
This Dodder was my nearest. Eeighbor, and
5oud deal nearer than | wanted him, and |
hadn't been there very long, before heard
hat he had been y ing about me to one of
The Directors, and l soon found out that he
wanted to get his son, who was swern here
against me, in my place. But he hasn't done
it yet, and if you don't convict me, reckon
ne wont very soon. q
1t wont take long TO dispose Of Dodder No.
}. He testiiies that he saw me throw three
stones at his father, and saw the sold man
lodge" On his cross examination he says
hat he was in his own house in the woods,
md had to look over a hill twenty feet high
md also oy er three slab fences and two stone
walls. Well; if he tells the truth, all wish
: that had young Dodder's eyes. He is
certainly remarkable boy and can't consis-
emily deny his "fathsr."
| am willing 10 admit that. done
wrong to throw stones at Dodder, and ap-
ologze to all the world, and this county par
.icularly, for it. The Doctors tells us that
here are two causes for all diseases, predg-
position and excitability, think it was the