Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-04-13
LETTER FROM HARRISBURG

ding with my usual notice of matters legisa-
tive. must give your readers the .snub" of a
joke which came off in This place few nights
ago, at the expense of Harrisburg blackleg.
It appears that certain jolly lumberman from
one of the villages of Clearfield, on his return
home from down the river, stepped into one
horse gambling establishment, where a parcel
of sharps were laying on their oars awaiting
the arrival of some victim. In fact the game
was languiShing for the want of some pigeon
to pluck. After some little discussion, it was
agreed that the raftsman should back the bank,
and one of the stool-pigeons should do the
dealing. Well, the proprietor of the estab-
lishment became one of the principal betters,
and by some system probably best understood
by him and his stoolpigeon, some forty dol
lars worth OF s'chips" were in the possession
OF the proprietor, and about the same amount
in the hands of the other betters. At this
juncture Clearfield began to smell considera-
bic of mice, and walked out, leaving the
party to amuse themselves the best way they
could. The deal ended; and-after waiting
reasonable time the proprietor suggested that
the defaulting banker might be about to leave
for the west by the early morning train, and
that they would go to the depot, and demand
redemption of the s'chips," and failure to
comply would subject the Clearfield man to
the disagreeable predtciment of being knock
ed into the middle of next week by him, the
aforesaid black!eg. On this hint they procee-
ded to the depot, and there, sure enough, they
found the Clear6eld man about ready to imi-
tate the witches in Macbeth who declared in
song, sswe fly by night" The blackleg asked
Clearield to s.fork.'' Clearfield refused TO en-
tertain the motion, and knock-down follow
ed, wherein .sleg'' came off second best, Clear
field having sscoppered" on his left eye, and
won every sshoss' IN the Grub" But this was
not the worst of 1.-THE leg had to redeem his
chips from the other betters before they would
give them up! His opinion of Clearield sport
ing men is not very exalted, at this time.
The appropriation bill is now in the hands
of Committee of Conference.-The Honse
having refused to concur in quite number of
amendments made by the Senate. One of
them, contributing $1,000 to the Mount Yer
non Fund Association should have been con-
Cured n-at least that is my opinion.
The House has passed the supplement to the
$500 exemption law, minus the second sec
tion. This is to be regretted, but what can
not be cured must be endured. The second
section was the very life of the bill still, as
it stands, it puts considerable of a bar on the
operations of the Shylocks who took advan-
tage of the decision Of the Supreme Court as
to the legality of the waiver. The exemption,
if l understand it now holds in decedent's
family against any waived note. This will
prevent widow from being deprived of every
thing to pay her husbands debts.
'sAn Act giving justices of the peace power
with jury of five to hear and finally deter
mine cahrges for crimes of a certaiu character
within certain counties of this Commonwealth,
and to lesosn the expenses in criminal pro-
ceedings,'' is the title of bill which has pas
sed the House, and will probnbly pass the SEN
ate. AS Clearfield is one of the sixteen conn
ties embraced in its provisions, give you an
abstract of the bill. Justices may so try and
determine
|. Cases of assault and battery, not charged
as having been committed riotously upon
any public officer, in the execution of his du-
ties, or with intent to kill or to commit felo-
ny, and all cases of petty larceny.
IL. Charges for poisoning, killing, manning,
| wOunding or cruelty beating any animal.
III. Charges for maliciously removing, al
tering, defacing or cutting down monuments
| or marked trees, ornamental or fruit trees.
". Charges for unlawfully, willfully and
maliciously taking and carrying away fruit or
vegetables or for destroying the same.
SEC. 2. That when any person charged with
any such offence shall be brought before the
Justice of the peace issuing the warrant of ar
rest, the said justice may proceed to hear and
determine the case, provided the defendant
shall agree thereto; but if the defendant will
not agree thereto, then the proceedings shall
be as follows if the defendant refuse to sub
nit to a trial before the justice or jury, as is
hereinafter provided for, he shall be bound to
appear at the next court of quarter sessions,
or discharged in the same manner as is now
provided for by law.
SEC. 8. That at the request of the defendant
that the cause shall be tried by jury, the jury
shall be chosen in the following manner, viz ::
/. The number of jurors shall be five, all of
whom shall join in the rendition of the verdict.
IL. The defendant shall first nominate three
persons and the prosecutor two. and if all or
any be objected to by the opposite psrty, each
party shall nominate other persons in place of
those objected to, until he shall have nomina-
ted five persons for every person so allowed
by him to be nominated
III. If the parties cannot agree in the choice
of the jury as aforesaid, the justice before
whom the cause is pending, shall make out a
list containing the names of twenty-five suita-
ble, ,disinterested and lawful men none of whom
shall have been previously objected by either
of the parties, from which list the parties shall
strike out alternately, beginning with the de-
tendant, until the number shall be FIVE, and
the five names thus left shall compose the jury.
| The remainder of the bill is too long to pub
lish, but the above gives you an idea of it.