The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-08-31
THE KNICKERBOCKER- TIMELY
BIT OF SATIRE.

line "knlck Tor August Is rare number.
Its Editors table is tastcfully ard beautifully
spread, and contains many rich Dishes We
snatch the following little "knieknack" which
hits off admirably one Of the prevailing weak
nesses of the times
A man in the town of - committed
murdcr-a black, diabolical murder There
was not single feature in the case that
mercy could render available. 1t was "rcd
murdcr"i in the truest acccptation of the term.
A lawyer of considerable cminencc was called
on by the prisoner, but after hearing his own
statement he would give him no other advice
than the following:
"My friend, it you are not hanged, it will
be because you have broken jail, cut your
throat, Or-or slammed mad.
The murderer took the hint. lie was not
able to accomplish the first; hc was unwilling
to do the second, so he attempted the third.
He came into the court un the day of his
trial with one glove and one boot on: listened
with apparent delight to his arragumcn,, and
when asked ut the cone usion, il he was guilty
or not guilty, answered, with II horsr-laugh,
such rs never heard before or since:
ayes, ] thank yuu sir, and no IN stake"
In this phiIanthropic aye, this was quite
sufficient To arrest the torrent Of Indignation
which had been rightiuIy setting against the
offender, and to substitute in place thereof II
feeling of intense sympathy.
ale is mad" says one.
"Poor fellow" muttescd another.
"What mercy we have discovered il be
fo:e he was tried" calculated third.
AN H., 4. l. 4 A. al
demanded Il fourth.
BY this time, the prisoner, in great elcc,
had put his glove upon his foot, and thurst
his hand into his boot.
or course this WIS too much for The feel.
ings Of the crowd. 1t was the last hair that
broke the cames back.
"Shame! shame" was muttcred by dozen
philanthropic souls
"Take him out Of the box!" uttered the
mob in general.
"Certainly," said the Judge, stake him out
by all means. Mr. District Attorney, you can
have no objection"
"Not the slightest, may it please your honor,
provided you let two or three of The ballIils
stand behind him and me-"
The bystaudcrs made rush to execute
the mandate OF the court, but the prisoner
checked their zeal though not their sympathy,
10y knocking down Il lalt-dozen Of them win
his boot!
The Court briefly addressed the jury:
ut was unnecessary to cutvr into the cvi.
dence. The unhappy prisoner had certainly
destroyed the life OF uan-a husband ANA Il
father, leaving his widow and helpless chill
dreh to misery and want. At the same tine,
1t seemed evident that this WAS the result
rather OF misfortune than of crime. We have
the evidence OF our own srnse that the
prisoner Is mal--mad, gentlemen OF the jury,
US q March hare.
"Would any man, gentlemen, conduct
himself SO strangely in the court.room-wear
his boots and his gloves in 50 eccentric !,
manner-if he were MT mad!
Gentlemen: have studied the anatomy
OF the human mind with much industry, aud
l think may say with considerable success
and ilatter myself an particularly CONVEX.
SAINT with the subject OF INSANITY.
"The brain is II delicate organ. Its mem
branes are of still more delicate organization
These are the du,u mdier and the pia mater
These entertaining with, and ntersecting as
it were the porous substance Of the brain
contribute largely to ihc exercise of its tram
scendeni powers"
"Our Judge knows something, don't he !
said one OF The sympathzrrs.
"know." said the intctloruIor; "know!
should think he did All have got 10 say
is, that never know'd man us knows ~
much as what he knows"
But" continued the Judge, ''thcse mem
branes become impaired, and even Reason
gentlemen, Reason reels and tolters On he
throne!
''Ihe most prevalent species of intellectual
wandering, however, is denominated 'H0mi
cida Insanity the prominent symptom .
which is desire 10 take away human life
Such, doubt not, is the case with th'
prisoner"
SHAY it please your Honor" interposed thu
District Attorney, "don't you think that th
jury might pronounce this case Of malicious
prosccutiOnY
"Pcrhalis not, Mr.. District Attorney" re
sponded the Judge.
81 honor your humanity, sir; am rrjocc'
to see that you can rise superior to tlc feel
ing which, am compelled TO say, too Otter
prompt public prosecutors. But, sir, tIiiUli
as II man has really been killed, IL might b,
considered IL bad precedent to declare Thu
prosecution malicious one.