The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-01-31
Court Reports.

RECORDER S COURT.- Recorder Nell
son dispenses justice very much after
the fashion in which an old black
smith, Justice Of the Peace, on the
State line between Pennsylvania and
Virginia, used to dispense matrimony
to runaway couples in olden times
wheresover he catches the victims
Yesterday, man hitched his horse in
such manner that he got upon the
pavement, for which he was snapped
up by the police. The owner of the
horse was in great hurry, and did
not wish to waste time by going to the
Recorders office, and the Recorder,
being close at hand, dispensed justice
on the sidewalk, charging the offender
81 and some 50 costs. This novel
method of dispensing justice attracted
large crowd of amused spectators.
The offender seemed to enjoy the fun
as much as any of theEa.
BEFORE JUSTICE STINsoN.-The
temple of justice over which Esquire
Stinson presides, was crowded all the
afternoon of yesterday with eager
spectators to witness the examina-
ton of young Butsch, on charge of
forgery There was present large
number Of witnesses, chiefly for the
defense, and many of the neighbors
and friends of the accused. The note
which is declared forgery by Joseph
Schenk, was produced in court by
the accused. The body of the note
was written by an expert penman, and
the signature is in different hand,
not particularly graceful, with three
cross marks before it, which Philip
Butsch asserts most positively were
made by Schenk as " his mark, be-
ing unable to write On the back of
the note is the following endorse
ment: sold this not to Schmitt and
Richmond, Philip Butsch," written
in hand manifestly different from
the signature of the note.
The witnesses for the prosecution,
which was ably conducted by Prose
cutting Attorney Hargrave, were
Schenk and his clerk. Schenk swore
positively that he never executed the
note, and did not owe Butsch any
thing for which the note could be
given; that he had paid him all he
had ever owed, and brought in his
clerk to prove payment; but all he
knew about it was that his Dos "
told him he had paid Butsch such
and such sums at sundry times, and
he had entered it in the book Schenk
also introduced one or two witnesses
to prove his own character, one of
whom described him as very honest
man, but said he would swindle in a
trade.
The defense set up was that Schenk
was indebted to Butsch in the sum of
$3.50, which had been called for three
several times, and on the third occa-
sion the note was given, the name
written by Butsch, and the crosses
made by Schenk as his mark.
A number of witnesses testi-
fed to the excellent character
of the defendant, who is a young man,
and represented as an Industrious,
hard working man, and who had al
ways borne an irreproachable charac-
ter. Mr. Hargraves' argument of the
case was one of the finest efforts we
have heard him make on such an oc-
casion, and marked him as young
attorney of fine attainments and
rapidly increasing ability. General
Shackleford argued the case for the
defense with his usual eloquence and
force, but the Justice thought it his
duty under ali the circumstances of
the case, to hold him to answer in the
sum of $500, for which bail was
promptly given.
Christian Wagner was charged
with assault and battery committed