The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-01-13
4 Striking Scene IN Court,
A correspondent of the Detroit

bune, writing from Lincoln, Mason
county, in this State, gives the follow
ing particulars of striking scene in
Court at Lincoln
Albert ii. Gardner, an old man of II
years, was brought IN to answer for the
crime of assault with intent to murder.
The complaining witness was a young
man of 20 years. With much assurance
he testified that he had had some words
with the defendant the day before, that
on the day of the assault he was walk.
inc along the road near his house, when
the old man sprang out from behind
large tree and swore with an OATH
4" Now / have got you shcre ! want
you, and Will kill YOU" aud struck him
on the head with an AK and knocked
him down and jumped on him that az
ter severe Struggle he escaped from
under tho old man aud ran away. 4
severe cro.s-examination eiicitcd Moth
ius exccD, that witness went IL miles
on foot to lawyers office to get war
rant for the defendant before he went 10
doctor or had his wounds dressed
lie repeo ed his evidence many times
in positive terms, but could tell little
more, no, being able to describe the
dress Of Mr. Gsrduor, whether he was
hit with the edge or back Of the ak, etc
The doctor who dressed tho wound, les.
tilted that it was a scalp or flesh wound
AID tina the scalp was raised from the
head on the upper side showing that the
lorce came from below and not from
above the head. The defendant then
made his statement. He came forward
leaning upon bis staff, his white locks,
beut form aud trembling limbs contrast
ing strangely with the youthful yigor Of
his accuser. With a clear and firm
voice he told the jury bow at the end Of
the late war he found himself alone in
the world without home or family ; how
4 he made his way into the woods, built
cabin and labored to clear eff and Sc
cure q homestead that the complainant
lived on the east and the complainan's
father on The west side Of him that the
complainant had tried to hire him to
leave. That, falling in that, he had
threatened him aGd tried to drive him
off That on the morning in question
he was going to work when the COM
piaiuant came Up and demanded his TX,
/ ;hen undertook to take it that 10 the
struggle ne fell and the complainant fell
on top Of him struck his (complainaut's)
head against the end of knot and the
blood flowed freely; that when COM
pJainant found he could not get the AK
he left aud went up the DAD on a ran,
bleeding as he went. And this said
the old man is Gods truth Here the
Old hero pulled up lis panta!oous and
laid bare an ugly guUshot wound, where
the heel cord Of his left leg had been
severed by a miuulo bAi. that had went
crashing through tho Doucs below the
knee. That" said he, was m9le by
the rebels at Gettysburg, and at the
close OF the war received this" The
/ Jury looked and found whore a smell had
shattered his right shoulder and left
scars nearly as large as the head of the
young scamp who bad undertaken to
swear the old hero to Jackson. The
honest, manly statement carried conyic-
ton to the jury, and they promptly re-
tnrled verdict Of not guilty, and
hearty cheers wc1t UP TOR at OId patriot
the complainant having long before fled
in terror from the court room