The union Democrat. [volume] (Sonora, Calif.) 1854-1946, 1871-01-07
Trial. Off witness.

ces l hope you will not refuse to listen 10 nv
woes. And whether they are woes or not
leave you to judge for yourself.
AT the beginning of last week | made my
first appearance in any court room In the
character of a witness, in the case of Valen-
tine against Orson, in which the point OF dis
pute was the ownership nf tract Of land in
Wyoming Territory. knew something in
regard to the sale of these lands, and was full
" prepared to testify to the extent of my
knowledge in the premises; but judge of my
utter surprise and horror on being obliged to
go through such an ordeal as the following
extracts from my examination will Indicate:
The counsel for the plaintiff commenced by
asking me if were married man. ard when
had answered that was, he said:
"Is your wifea believer in the Woman's
Rights part ?"
could not for the life of me see what this
bad to do with the land in Wyoming, but
answered that | was happy to say she was
not.
The examination then proceeded as follows:
Q. You are happy, then, in your matri-
monial relations? A. Yes-(and remember
ing the oath reasonably so.
Q. Is your wife pretty? A. Witness
Remembering at once his oath aud his wife's
presence in court)-She is pretty.
".
Remembering only his wife's presence)-I
have never been able to discover.
@. Do you wear flannel? A. Yes, in
winter.
O. Can You testify upon your oath that
you do not wear flannel in summer? A. /
can.
| @. Now be careful in your answer. What
do you wear in spring and fall 4? A. IL
wear nv common clothes.
| @. With flannel, or without flannel? A.
Sometimes with. and sometimes without.
@. No evasion; You must tell the court ex-
actly when you wear flannel, ard when you
do not
A series of questions on this subject brought
out the fact that l wore flannel when the
weather was cold. or cool and did not wear
it when it was mild, or warm.
@. Have you lightning-rod on your
honse? A. | have.
| @. How much did it cost you to have it
put up ! A. 1t has not cost me anything yet
i owe for it.
Q. Is that all you owe for? A. No.
have other Gebts.
Q: Have you any money with you now?
A. | have.
Q. How much? A. Counting contents of
portemonnie) -sixty-two cents.
Q. Where did you get that? A. with
embarrassment | borrowed it.
@. Were you present when defendant first
! offered his land for sale to the plaintiff?
A. Frightening up.) was. 50
@. Have you ever been vaccinated A. /
have.
@. At the time of the first mention of this
land to the plaintiff, who were present? A.
Witness speaking with hopeful vvaci,y, as
if he hoped they were now coming to the
merits of the case.) The plaintiff, the de-
PENDANT and myself
Q. Do you use the Old Dominion coffee
pot in your house A. (Dejectedly) No, sir.
@. What kind of ecffee-pot do you use
A. A common tin one.
Q. You are willing to swear it is tin A.
am.
Q. Has your wife any sisters? A. She
has two Anna and Jane.
Q. Are they married A. They are.
Q. Are either of them as pretty as your
wife? A. (Quickly.) No, sir.
@. Have you any children A. Two.
Q. Have they halthe measles A. They
have.
Q. Has any other person in your family
had the measles? | have had them, and nv
wife has had them.
O. How do you know your wife has had
them A. She told me so.
Q. Then you did not see her have them
A. No. sir.
Q. We want 70 hearsav evidence here
how can you swear that she has had them
when you did not see her have them? A
She told me so, and believed her.
Q. Did she take an oath that she had had
them A. No. sir.
Q. Then. sir. you are trifing with the
court. DO you understand the obligations of
an oath A. do.
Q. Beware, then, that you are not commit
ted for perjury. Is yonr gas-metre ever froz-
en-? A. Yes. sir.
@. What 40 you use when the gas will no,
burn A. Candles.
Q. How many to the pound a. Nine.
.. How do YOU know there are nine to the
pound? a. They are sold as mines.
Q. Then you never weighed them your
self A. No. sir.
Counsel. to the court May it please your
Honor. this is the second time that this Wit
ness has positively testified. under solemn
oath, to important points of which he has no
certain knowledge. ask the court for pro-
lection for myself and my client.
Here long discussion took place between
the lawyer and the judge. and at the end of it
the case was postponed for two months.
suppose it is expected that will then reas-
cend the witness stand but have deter
mined that when enter a courtroom again
shall enter as a criminal. These fellows
have much the easiest times, and they run
so little risk, nowadays. that their position is
far preferable to that CT the unfortunate wit
ness anchineNo.
The following method of keeping milk fresh
for a long time is said to be extensively prac-
ticed in the vicinity of Paris. 1t consists
merely in adding to each quart of fresh milk.
before the cream has risen upon is about six
grains Of bicarhonate of soda or potash, and
then placing the milk in bottles, which are
to be tightly carked for four hours, in VA
ter bath heated TO a temperature of about 100
degrees, taking care not to go beyond that
limit. When the bottles are removed from
the bath, they are to be made perfectly tight
by coating the cork with wax, and the milk
can then be kept long time unchanged.