The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-04-21
DoDDLErowN CORRESPONDENCE.
[CoNTINUED.l

DoDDLETOwN, April IS, 1870.
DEAR JOURNAL: I am under the stern ncccs-
sty-as the schoolmaster said when he took the
boy on his knee-of emitting to furnish for your
next issue, and perhaps for the next after it,
continuation of my History Of Doddetown and
for this reason
At our last town-meeting, Deacon Snuffles, who
tends the new gristmill at The Forks, was elected
Juror for the next Court. Having been elected by
the town he was of course dram by the selectmen
1t was singular coincidence you may think but
it always happens so in our town.
| Now the Deacon needs the pay-has hard work
to keep himself off the town-and can't afford to
lose the profits of the mill so in an eXuberance OF
phlanthropy-I am often exuberantas you know
said to the Deacon, $50! and during your alb
sence will tend the gristmill for you and make no
charge for my time or services on this condition
only-that you shall report for the Journal all the
cases that come before your jury
The Deacon accepted the proposition; as you
Will readily perceive, the business of the Post Of
lice, attending the triweekly meetings of the
Secret Service Club, tending the gristmill and Mrs
Doddes, who is still in feeble health, will leave me
no time for writing History
Ihs VIII be handed to you by the Deacon, whom
commend to your kind attentions as Il very
worthy man, we'll read in the Revised Statutes and
member OF our Total Abstinence Society.
mention the last fact as the Deacon is subject to
sickness and would be grateful for any suggestion
you may make, "unbeknoWnst like" as to the
place where he can procure the best medicine
In haste, yours,
G. WASHINGTON DoDDLEs
| NOTE BY THE EDITOR. We publish the fore
going from our esteemed correspondent at Doodle
town as our apology for the omission for the time
being of his vahlable Historical articles We have
had the pleasure of IN interview with the Deacon,
and are decidedly of opinion that he is emnently
qualified for the performance of the labor he has
undertaken. His reports Of eases tried will be of
exceeding interest to our readers we have no
doubt Suhdined is his first communication.
MIR. SIMPSON: At ten O'Clock this morning
Tuesd day, the Jurors, the Sheriff, the Clerk, the
Lawyers AMI the Judge all met in the Court House.
and after the Elder made prayer, the Clerk called
over the nsmes of the Jurors When he called
m ine-Ablah Snutles--I saw the Judge look up
and all around the room, quick as flash and when
| answered. Here saw him smile.
| never saw the Judge before. and couldn't I'M
|
up the alley towards him, he rose and came to the
end of his desk and took me by the hand and SAYS
he, deacon Snutles, am happy to see pou here ;
have often heard of you, and feel confident that
on whichever jury you may be, that Jury will do
justice TO all parties"
Just then The Clerk stopped and looked round :;
but the judge told him to proceed and cmpanncl
the First and Second jures, and KEPT on talking
with me.
Atter.the clerk got through, the Judge told the
two iuries to retire and choose Il Foreman for each
and then turning to me said, "Deacon, am re-
joiced to see that you will be on the Third Jury
The duties Of that jury are more arluous than
those of the First and Second and as the oath Mpy
have TO take ito decide all cases between partv and
party according to law and the evidence given
them, is not required of your jury, it is most i'm
portant that it should be composed of men of the
highest order of intellect and strctest Integrity
such you are
| bowed ol course, and stepped back: lust then
the Sheriff came along ana touched me on the
shoulder and says he, "Deacon. you and the other
members Of tle Third Jury will 60 and take YOUR
seats on the steps at the north end of the Court
House, and nuke choice OF Il Foreman send his
name in to me, and then be excused tin after din
ner.''
We accordingly proceeded and tool, our places
and began to vote for Il Foreman. We voted six
llmeS; ana every time the vote stood 6 for Deacon
AbJah Snutles, 6 for Captain .Eoram Barnace; all
the rummieS and ropperlieads went for Barnacle
On the seventh vote il stood 4 for Snules for
barnacle; four Of the jury had got sick and gone
on l then proposed, as a compromise. that one
candidate should act Foreman for the first week
and the other for the second tho proposition was
unanimously accepted, with the understanding that
my turn was to come first We then adjourned:
most of the jurors started for their observation-disclosures
but feeling little unwell after the exciting scene
through which had passed, I went over to DIR,
Fuler's.
When Court began in the afternoon it so happeu-
ed that the first ready for trial being one that
excited great deal Of interest outside and thraat
cned large amount of hard swearing. was put to
the Third Jury. 1t was the case of
INEVITABLE BONES. LIFT. y. SIIADpAc ROWS
This was a Libel for Divorce from the bones of
matrimony, brought by the wife against her hus
band, on the ground Of incompatibility of tempcr
Defendant filed the plea of No issue" with snec-
fcatiOn of defence that. probably .sthere never
would be-
fair and forty-thc Defendant lean, lank and
lengthy. Married last fall. At time of marriage
Pltf. was owner of house, housing-stutf and one
cow: Defendant owned nothing but what he stood
up in. Acting on the legal presumption that they
knew more about the facts than any body else we
dismissed all the other witnesses-about twenty
and ordered them to leave town forthwith under
the penalty of being held responsible for the costs
they scattered.
Plaintiff sworc that Defendant was in the habit
of larruping her with an old sadlIe-grt that be-
onsed to her former husband because she wouldn't
give him Bill of Sale of the house. Defendant
swore that plaintiff was in the habit of atherng
him with her tongue, and now and then splitting Il
little hot water Oh him when he staid out until
after the COW ought to be MIXED
We learned by talking with some of their neigh
bors, that one was about as much to blame As the
other; so We brought in our verdict that the wo-
man should have the house and hollsing-stutf and
the man have the COW, and both parties turn tail to,
and no cost for either party. We gave the Defend
ant the because we found out that he furnished
plaintiff all her last winters tre-wood.
After the verdict was read the Judge backoned
to me, and Went up to his desk, and says he to me
he spoke it rather slow--"Deacon, that's relU-
sensible-re1ict;; but lontexactly see how this
Court can render 4 judgment omit; it wouldn't read