Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-09-16
NO. 221

GStiiCl, anu I"Sfsi""
as to where We were to dine, for we saw
the ca case had not as yet got into swing.
''Ihe Blue bedgown," said old Chouz-
Ter, our foreman: that's the house for
port"
"The Black Lion" suggested Slopmiss;
1.-The Sheriff is mighty partial to their
whiskey.n
I'm bet two to one it's at the Crooked
Eluke he'll locate us, interposed Tomp-
kins, 'for it's SO neat"
Two to one ?" said Slopmiss, amid a
dead silence in the Court.
Il beg pardon cried SERGEANT Biglob;
perhaps | can set the respected member
of the jury right
We considered this rather an awkward
matter for the reporters, so Tompkins
said, innocently. ''Oh. it doesn't matter"
The Judge here interposed, and in
formed the wretched Tompkins with great
asperity that it mattered a great deal, and
the sooner his mind was satisfied on the
point, the better.
~ assure you, my Lord, it doesn't sig
Nifty said Tompkins, meekly.
And | reiterate, Sir, for your inform
ton, that the difference in numbers may
cause an undue impression to weigh on
your mind,' retorted the Judge.
"Quite SO my Lord; thank your Lord
ship" jerked the learned Sergeant.
Tompkins was ready to sink with
shame. The eyes of the whole Court
were upon Ii m. If hc declined to be en-
| ightcned, he brought down the Judge
and Bar on his devoted head if he acced-
ed, he should pro pound some proposition
to enable his being coached. Being
young man of 81 lggish mind, and not
/ aef ata hx a flo of ha
sidered he was bound to inform the Court
of the actual state of the case, and ere
any of us could prevent him, he said:
The fact is, my Lord, | was only offer
ing Il bet Of two to one where the jury
were to get their dinner"
| A roar of laughter shook the Court, in
which the Judge, and even the prisoner,
joined. The peal was again and again re-
peated, while the leading counsel for the
prisoner very aptly quoted:
'And wretches hang that jurymen may dine"
After Tompkins had received cauteriz-
ing from the prisoners counsel, and eau
tion from the Judge, the Attorney-General
resumed his sng-song statement, quoting
acts from all the Georges, reading copious
extracts, and, in word, fatiguing every
body but himself; till at Length the Judge.
looking at his watch. said: Don't you
think this would be Il convenient time to
adjourn. Mr.. Attorney?"
Mr.. Attorney, being wound up, would
have gone on till morning; but, deeming
the hint significant, accepted the sugges-
ton, and bundling up his papers quilted
the Court. which i'll IA few minutes was
tenanted only by the Sub-Sheriff, the crier,
three policemen, and our unhappy selves.
The Sub-Sheriff was a ss-grained,
sour little man, with great deal of vine
gar mixed up with bile in his composition.
He deemed his Office far more important
than that of the Judge, and treated all
ljurymen with a severity savoring more of
the slave driver than of the peaceful Off
cial His worst enemy never limited at
his packing jury and his best friend,
when serving, was treated with the same
rigor as the most distant acquaintance.
Now, gentlemen, said the Sub-Sheriff,
''you will be locked up during the night,
this being a criminal case. intend hav-
ing you conveyed by carts to the Green
Inn hotel, where every comfort has been
provided for you"
Here a timid juror limited that it would
be extremely desirable for him to see his
wife, and pledged his honor to return, if
necessary, by cockcrow.
Tut, tut, Sir; do you think l am a
fool, Sir?' cried the Sub-Sheriif 80 abb
surd proposition never came under my
observation. It's very wrong, Sir, to
make me such a proposition-excessively
insulting"
The abashed offender became dumb,
"Are you ready to start. gentlemen P"
"Oh, perfectly" is the unanimous reply.
Then like a set of maletactors, we are
marched by fours between a file of police
men to the yard, where carts are in wait
ing to receive us. We are hustled in, the
door banged, and, with one of the force
on the box, are driven rapidly to the
Green Inn" hotel.
Here the Sub-Sheriif was assailed by the
jury to man: Il want to send home to
my wife to let her know" Il will require
a night-cap and night shirt !" II must send
for my cashier to make arrangements to
ueet my bills :" must have "a feather-bed," ;"
and many other demands of equally startl-
ing and imperative necessity.
How this choleric little gentleman ever
managed to quiet the twelve of us is still a
mystery to me. That he succeeded, how
ever, is a matter Of history and we soon
recovered our equanimity, whenwe found
ourselves seated ut dinner, with fowl at
the top, roast beef at the bottom. ham
at the side, and better than all, u boiled
leg of mutton confronting the ham.
Beer was permitted, and two tumblers
of punch to each man. Now, as three oi
the gentlemen present were total abstain
ers, and Us two of them couldn't bear the
! taste of punch, but as all five were good
fellows, and demanded their allowance
with a fierce determination, so as to throw
the ten tumblers over the remaining seven
jurors, things promised to go on very
smoothly.
There were two special constables told
off, to see that we held no communication
c with the outer world These worthy Off
5 cials remained posted outside the door, but
when opportunity afforded, cautiously
} peered in and counted the heads, so as TO
3 assure themselves tnat all was right, as
they had been threatened with horrible
3 consequences should any eontretemps oo-
cur.
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