Squatter sovereign., 1856-02-19

eyes"
| as there not a hilltwenty feet high be-
tween your house and where live ~
"About that"
"How many stone walls, also-about
four7"
"About that"
"How many plank fences. or slab fences.
1.-TWO. - - .kssf,as.
"Only one, think"
"Weil, sir, how could you see through
four stone walls, one slab fence and hill
twenty fee. hight That viii do, sir; you
can go now"
And without waiting for reply, off
went Dodder No. two.
District Attorney On the part of the peo-
pie here rested.
The defendant, then, with all the grav-
ity becoming such an important occasion,
untwisted his. legs from the rounds of his
chair. and with more than usual dignity
walked out in front of the jury, and offered
his defence as follows:
"If it please your honor. and gentlemen
of the jury, I am green hand at this ere
Dizziness. am ashamed that such a lit
tie. small consarn should ever come before
an Orange county jury. 1t was not my
wish, I am sure. l was taken up once be-
fere, and then he only swore to an assault,
but three months thinking has put the bat
terry to it. acknowledge the assault, bu,
am justified for he was assaulting my
cow. He has tried to pick up quarrel
with me ever since / went to the gate. He
stones my cows, my chickens, and can't
stand it. Threw the stones; admit it
first, fifteen feet TO the right, then over his
head, and when saw the COW fall as he
knocked her down. then did shave him,
but didn't hit him, and that amt all, I'll
prove it; and I ask you farmers, if you
would not do the same thing? [ can prove
he knocked her down by my brother"
Defendants brother was then called
and stated that it was on Sunday when the
occurrence happened; saw complainant
Dodder, running after and striking defend.
ants COWS; saw them strike and one fall
can't say he struck her; defendant raj out
and haliowed to him; did not mind; de.
fendant threw stones; none hit him;
went out, and when came up to Dodder
he said defendant had thrown stones a
MIN. but he had managed by jumping and
lodging not to have any hit him.
| The testimony here closed.
/ The defendant then proceeded to sum
up the cause. His honor dropped his pen
the jury leaned forwnrd, the members o.
| the bar were winking and nodding across
to one another. and universal titterine
pervaded the room. He commenced ant
| his sharp, shrill voice drowned all else:
| Gentlemen Of the jury: This is the
first time | was ever in such pickle; new
er before did appear before a Jury of my
country. This Mr.. Dodder has brought
me here. and l have TO appeal to you, no
knowing whether you are Woody Heads
Silver Greys, Hard Shells, or Soft Shell
Yet think this Dodder will find out be-
fore am through that am harder shell
than he imagined.
You know, gentlemen, that am in the
employ of the Mongaup Valley. Forrest
burgh and Port Jarvis PIankroad Compa
ny, as gate-keeper. This company i
seems had sufficient confidence in my in
; ,egrity and honesty to place me in thatim
portant station, and even if should receive
| 900 and steal 81 500 of it, that's be
tween me and the Company, and its none
of Dodder's business. Now when the
Company sent me up along the road tt
collect tolls, this Dodder was one of the In
habitants found there in the woods. ant
/ will say for him that he is very fai
|. specimen of the rest of the population
But there isn't any of them that seem t.
appreciate all the benefits of this plank
road.
/ 1t let out TO civilization class of peo
pie who never before had the idea iher.
was such thing as civilized life, and thi'
; Dodder is one of them. It is fact tha
soon after I moved up there. young wo
man, sixteen years old, cum down out o
| the mountains on the plankroad, one day
and she had never been out before. Sh,
fairly seemed surprised to see white Inal
and after asking few questions wen
, back into the woods. This Dodder wa
!. my nearest neighbor. and a good dea
nearer than wanted him, and I hadn'
been there long before Leard that be ha'
/ been lying about me to one OF the direct
/ ors, and / soon found cut that he wante,
to get his son, who was sworn against me
in my place. But he hasn't done it YET
d and If yoa don't convict me reckon b
won't very soon.
=