Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-04-15

stuoOls came loIWhlu
"You are rector Of St. James the Less,
said Sergeant Wrange
al am, replied Mr.. Wilberforco.
"Did you ever see the entry of Robert
Cars marriage with Martha Ann Hughes in
the church's registers"
Yes, l did Sergeant Siftem prckod up
his cars.
"When did you see it p
"On the twenty-fourth of last October
"How do you fix the date, Mr.. Wilber-
force y inquired the judge, who recognized
him as the minor canon who had offciated in
the chanters desk the previous day in the
cathedral.
81 had been marrying couple that morn
: ing, my lord the twenty-lourth. After had
entered their marriage, turned back and
looked for the registry of Robert Cars and
found it and read it,
"What induced you to look for it p asked
the counsel
al had heard that his marriage was dis
covered to have taken place at St. James's,
and that it was recorded in the register Gu
riosity induced me to turn back and read it,
you both saw and read it, continued
Sergeant Wrangle.
81 both saw it and read it, replied Mr.
Wiberforce.
Then you testify that it was undoubtedly
there ?"
"Most certainly it was"
"The reverend gentleman will have the
goodness to remember that he is upon his
oath, cried Sergeant siftem, impudontly bob
bing up.
"SWr was the indignant rebuko Of the
clergyman. lyon forget to whom you are
speaking he added amidst the dead silence
Of the court.
"Can you remember the words written =
resumed Sergeant Wrangle.
"The entry was properly made in the
same manner that the others were. OF that
period. Robert Carr and Martha Ann Hughes
had signed it also her brother and sister as
witnesses"
"You have no doubt that the entry was
there then, Mr.. Wilberiorce;' r. observe the
judge
My lord, cried the reverend gentleman,
somewhat nettled at the question, Il can be-
lieye my own eyes. am not more certain
that / am now giving evidence before your
lordship, than ! am that the marriage was in
the register
"lt is not in now, said the Judge
NO my lord it must have been cevery
r abstractcd.
1.-The whole leaf, presume }" said Sergeant
Wrangle
Undoubtedly. The marriage entered be-
low Robert Carrs was that of Sir Thomas
Ealing ! read that also. with its long string
of witnesses that is also gono."
"Can you acooun. for its disappearance :"
asked Sergeant Wrange
"Not in the least. wish could and find
out the offenders
"The incumbent Of the parish at that time
is no longer living, believe observed Ser
geant Wrange.
He has been dead many years, replied
Mr. Wiberiorce "tour or five have held the
living since then. But it was not the incum-
f, bent who married them; it was strange
clergyman who performed the ceremony.
friend of Robert Cars"
"How do you know that" snapped Ser
goant Siftem, bobbing up again.
because be signed the register as having
performed it, replied Mr.. Wilberforce con-
fronting the Sergeant with look as undaunt-
ed as his own.
What cared Sergeant sftem for being CON
lrontcd "How do you know he was a friend
Of Robert Cars =; went on be.
"ln that ] speak from hoarsay. But there
are many men of this city. older than am,
. who remember that the Reverend Mr. Bell
and Robert Carr were pnon oxcecdiply init.
mate terms tbov can testify il TO Won If vo,
choose IN call tbem
Sergeant Siftem orovlcd and sat down
"Allow mc to All Won air " continued Ser
yeant Wrangle ..vrbctbor tbe mprriare holm,
entered tbepo Is nat m nroor oc its bavin,
taken place ;"
"Most assuredlv." replied Mr.. Wilberforce
"a proof indisnntable'
But courts Of Justice. iudges and iury re-
ouiro ocular and administrative nroof 1t is
probable that there was not a soul in court
including the Judge and Sergeant Siftem but
believed the evidence of the Reverend Mr..
Wiberforce. even had they chosen to doubt
that Of Lawrence Omer: but the register neg
atively testified that there had been no mar
rage, and upon the register. in law. mustrest
the onus of proof. Had there been positive
evidence. not negative. of the abstraction of
tho lar f-on, ,Le ro,,;star ba1 ,La ra,,;.+ar
itself afforded such, the aspect of affairs
would have been very different When the
court rose that niobt the trial had advanced
down to the summin,,-un of tbe iudge which
,ras doc.ul an 80. ~. - % r-i. h..