Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-03-03

REroRrED rxPHEssLr ron THE AmERrcAx,
By 20 IN THE CORNER"

We were permitted to retain our
seat in the corner during the last term
Of the Franklin Circuit Court, without
seeming to attract much attention from
the Court, or any one else. Thanks TO
good luck and good looks, we are not
in jail yet, Judge Mc'Lean's order to
the contrary Notwithstanding.
Being somewhat emboldened in this
our first peepinto the place where JUS
tice is said TO be enthroned, we ven
ture TO inurde ourselves into the high
err courts or courts where at venture
they sometimes decide against the law,
or without law as the case may hap.
pen.
State Of Indianal
John IL. Fudge.
Our Townsman, John II. Fudge, was
arrested on last Friday Evening on
the afiidayits of Frank Robson and
Frank Fogle charging that the defend
ant committed an assault and battery
upon them some months ago, &c.
The boys swore for themselves, for
each other and for the State OF Indiana.
rs matter Of course. They stated
that on DC. at DC. they heard the Disc
of the Serenade ut the defendants and
went to see the fun, but did not par
ticipate in the least. That they were
standing within ten feet of the pave
ment opposite the defendants house
when he def. came out after the boys
who were engaged in the riot and adj
vanced towards the witnesses, and
struck them slightly with bean pole.
That they did not intend to prosecute
him at the time, but since, the Pros.
ecutor had found presentments against
the boys for the serenade and refused
to find one against def. and they thought
in wasn't far?
Bentley, Keely, Farquhar, Beeks,
and others stated that some months
ago they were present at an Unfair par.
iy at the defendants. That during the
evening they were very much annoyed
bya gang of boys who beseiged the
defendants house with an pans, horns,
horse fiddle. shooting crackers, &C.,
making night hidcous with their wild
and hcathanish reyell That they came
up to the house. opened the door.
threw shooting crackers into the house
and into the face Of some Of the guests,
knocked on the house, doors and win.
dows, annoying the company very
much.
That the defendant went out TO dis.
perse the crowd, did not see defend
ant strike the witnesses or any one else
That the boys were congregaied in
front of the house, in the street, on the
side walks, Cor some rods.
ID. ID. Jones attorney for the boys
!er their parents and the State Of Ind
insisted that from the evidence III,
Prosecuting witnesses were not en-
gagged in the disturbance but wer,
innocent lockers on. That no man hac
a right to take the law into his owr
hands and redress his own wrongs.
Rowland, attorney for def. contendeC
that although the prosecuting wit
nesses, from their own evidence, wer,
not actually engaged in producing tn,
disturbance, yet they were encouraging
il by their presence and in the eye o
the law were parties 10 the offence, anc
were there ut there own peril, unles:
they were engaged in suppressing the
disturbance. That the boys had met
for IN unlawful purpose, and thai
street, 'nnocem lille boys as they claim
to be, had no business in such crowd
That Fudge (thc def. had the right
to resist the attack made upon his
house, and to dispense the rioters, and
that he used no greater force than the
law qualified him in using under the
circumstances, which seemed to us in
this corner to be very sensible law
The defendant was fined however
> in each case.