The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1872-04-04
WHOLE NO. 1,147

~ "SS NSOi SO LIE DIOubOu B OD
portunity to distinguish him.
self. Apd so, with many know.
ing and confident mods and
hints, and with much Difference
to the two squires, he opened
the case, affecting great indig-
nation at Ralph's wickedness,
and uttering Delphic hints
about striped pants and shaven
head, and the grating of pris.
on-doorS at Jacksonville.
"And, now, if the court
please, | am about to call a
witness whose testimony is
very important indeed. Mrs.
Sarah j. Means will please step
forward aud be sworn"
This Mrs. Means did with
alacrity. She had met the pros
ecutor and impressed him with
her dark hints. She was sworn.
"Now, Mrs. Means, have the
goodness to tell US what you
know of the robbery at the
house of Peter Schroeder, and
the part defendant had in it."
swell, you see, l alters sus-
pected that air young man
-"
Here Squire Underwood
stopped her, and told her that
she must not tell her suspic-
ions, but facts.
swell, it's facts l am a going
to tell" she shifted indignantly,
"lt's facts that | mean to tell
Here her voice rose to a keen
pitch, and she began to abuse
the defendant. Again and
again the court insisted that
she must tell what there was
suspicious about the school
master. At last she got it out.
"Well, fer one thing, what
kind of gals did he go with9-
Hey9 Why, with my bound
gal, Hammer, a loafin' along
through the blue grass paster
at ten o'clock, and keepin' that
gal that's got no protector but
me out that away, and de-
Stroyin' her character by his
company, that amt fit fer no.
body"
Here Bronson saw that he
had caught a tartar. He said
he had no more questions to
ask of Mrs. Means, and that,
unless the defendant wished to
cross-question her, she could
stand aside. Ralph said he
would like to ask her one ques-
ton. "Did l ever go with your
daughter Miranda9"
"No, you didn't" answered
the witness, with a tone and a
toss of the head that let the
cat out, and set the courtroom
in a glggle. Bronson saw that
he was gaining nothing, and
now resolved to follow the line
which Small had indicated.
Pete Jones was called, and
swore point blank that he
heard Ralph 60 out of the
house soon after he went to
bed, and that he heard him re.
turn at two in the morning.
This testimony was given with
out any hesitation, and made a
great impression against Ralph
in the minds of the Justices
Mrs. Jones, a poor, brow-beaten
woman, came on the stand in a
frightened way, and swore to
the same lies as her husband.
Ralph cross-questioned her, but
her part had been well-learned.
There seemed now little
hope for Ralph. But just at
this moment who should stride
into the school house but
Pearson, the one-legged, old
soldier basket-maker9 He had
crept home the night before,
"to see eff the ole woman didn't
want somethin'," and hearing
of Ralph's arrest, he concluded
that the time for him to make
"a forrard movement" had
come, and 30 he determined to
face the foe.
"Looky here Squar," he said,
wiping the. perspiration from
his brow, "looky here. l jest
want to say that l kin tell as
much about this case as any
body"
"het US hear it. then," said
Bronson, who thought he would
nail Ralph now for certain.
So, with many illusions to
the time he fit at Lundy's Lane,
and some indignant remarks
about the pack of thieves that
driv him off, and a passing trib-
ute to Miss Martha Hawkins,
and sundry other digressions,
in which he had to be checked,
tLo ia ,~oo- tn1I hom hat1