The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1873-10-02
Court Proceedings.

Court Proceedings.
At the time of our going to press last
week, the Court was engaged in the case of
the Commonwealth VS. Barney Mansfield :
Indicted for Forging the name of Melchoir
Bossard to note, given to Samuel Storm,
for $40O Many witnesses were called by the
prosecutor to prove the name of Melchior
Bossard, was not his genuine signature, who
gave as their opinion it was not the hand
writing of NJ. Bossard, but all admitted that
they could not positively say, under their
oaths, it was not his
On the part of the defence it was conten-
ded that the signature was genuine, and put
to the note by Bossard himself, and another
defence taken was that Barney was an
Epileptic, and his mind, by constant attacks,
had became so feeble and intellect so far
weakened, that he was not morally response
bic. The case was warmly contested and
ably tried. a large number ofwitnesses, on
both sides were called The trial lasted two
and half days, besides night sessions of the
Court The Jury, after being out short
time, returned verdict of not guilty Lee,
Holmes and Storm, for Com Burnett and
Walton for defendant
Com. VS.. Matthias Smith, Indicted
for assault and battery, on Mrs. John j.
Frey. The parties reside in Eldred town
ship, and have had considerable of trouble
heretofore, in and out of Court. John j.
Frey being the tenant of Smith Verdict
not guilty, and each party to pay half the
costs Lee and Burson for CON- Storm
and Walton for deft
Com. VS.. John Jacob Frey,-Surety of
peace, on oath of Matthias Smith Court
put the costs on Frey and dismissed the case.
His Honor Judge Dreher, called Smith
and Frey before the Court, and administered
to them good sound healthy lecture, on
their conduct as citizens of this Common
wealth, and what they might depend upon
hereafter if either of them was brought there
again, charged with the commission ofpaltry
breach of the peace, and ordered each of
them to enter into recognizance in the sum
OF SlO0, to keep the peace and be of good
behaviour towards all good citizens and
especially towards each other Jacob and
Matthias SMILED and walked out of the bar,
apparently as well pleased as if they had just
returned from marriage feast" The next
case was,
Com. VS.. Christopher Marsh, Assault
and Battary on Joseph Strunk. Strunk is
man 20 years of age, beautifully silvered over
with the frost of many winters, and resides
in Popular Valley Christopher is his SON
in-law On Sunday night, of the Sth of
juno, the parties met in the public high
way After some talk an alteration about
the right to pasture Strunk's cows with his,
Chris. got savage, struck the old man,
knocked him to the ground, opened the skin
above his eye and caused the blood to flow
freely. This was proven by Joseph and his
old woman, was with him at the time
Christopher, in putting in his Defence swore
the old man struck him first, without cause,
and called him bad names Notwithstand-
ing Marsh was sustained by his wife and lit
tie son, yet the Jury convicted the defend
ant. Sentenced to pay SIS fine and costs of
prosecution. Lee and Walton for Com.
Davis for deft.
Com. vs.. John Van why,-Indicted for
embezzlement. 1t seems John, by virture
of his Office as Constable of Smithfeld town
ship, also became the collector of the State
and County taxes of said township. The
Act of Assembly is very severe on these
officers if they neglect to pay over, and apply
the money collected to the proper authority.
John after the trial had progressed some
time, confessed he had not paid over all he
had collected, and pleaded guilty to the
two first counts in the Indictment. The
Court gave him 5000 fine, and ten months
imprisonment in the county jail and costs of
prosecution. Lee and Holmes for Common
wealth. Storm and Walton for deft.
Com. VS.. Christian Hitler, selling Lager
Beer to minor. This was a case brought
to reform the town by preventing the rising
generation from imbibing and obtaining too
great love, the great Teutonic Beverage
The selling was proven by the prosecution,
but the defence attempted to take the sting
out Of the charge, by proving that John
Hefford. on account of whose indulgence the
suit was brought, had represented himself to
be past the age of twenty-one years. The
Jury, however, thought the defence rather
thin and rendered verdict of guilty against
defendant. The case was ably tried. Lee
and Storm for Commonwealth, and Davis
and Burnett for defendant A successful
nation in arrest of Judgement, corried the
case over until next Court
Com. VS.. Luther Phillips, Assault and
Battary, on oath of j. n Lee. Defendant.
in view of the fact that the odds were all
against him, plead guilty. Sentenced to pay
fine of $50, to pay the costs of prosecution
and to undergo sojourn of fifteen days in
Hotel de Troch.
Commonwealth VS.. James Mattison-Lar-
ceny. Sam. S. Detrick, Druggist, of East
III ,,a,eea1 IL L.