Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-06-24
POLICE PICKINGS.
Mr.. Smiths Statements Are Strange
Iy at Variance with Each Other-A
Wife.Eseatex-A Brilliant Forensic
Exhthtff0V. Etc '... - t-


MIR. Smiths Statements Are Strange
Iy at Variance with Each Other-A
wife.Eseatex-A Brilliant Forensic
Exhibition, Etc.
The statement OF Mr.. Smith-Mr. VIII
liam Smith, differed somewhat from that
made by the prosecuting witness. Mr..
Smith stated that he had gone to the top Of
the steps of certain private residence in
this city, but had gone no farther. The
witness referred to testified thst he had
found Mr.. Smith in one of the rooms of
the house and that he asked if the people
of the house in question had any old iron
to sell, butsfterwards attempted to explain
his appearance on the premises by saying
that be had been sent TO collect bill, after
which he undertook to make rapid exit
from the house by trying to jump out of the
window. This attempt was frustrated,
howeve1', by the witness, who remarked to
Mr.. Smith that if he jumped out of the
window he would shoot him, which remark
had the effect of causing that individual to
change his mind. Smith was sent down TO
the Workhouse.
To the constant reader of IourEpolice re-
ports,th nameIof George White is familiar,
as he IS frequently brought before Judge
Duling. Some men exhibit versitality in
their deviment: Mr.. White does not, but
devotes his law breaking propensities to in
genious and psrsevering attempts to break
his wife's head, and the degree of endur-
ance that es.imaole WON an possesses, to
gether with Der ability to stand an amount Of
kicking and banging about sufficient to XII.
a mule, is absolutely surprising. A few
weeks ago she "shook" her leige lord and
betook herself to the country, where she
was doing finely, when White put in an ap-
pearance and begged her to return to him
promising to mind bis ways and treat her
kindly 10 the future. Woman-like, Mrs.
White believed Whites affecting promises
of reformation, packed her scanty ward
robe in a cigar box, and returned to Nash
vile. Then Mr.. With took big dose OF
cholera medicine, stumbled along home
wards, seized a chair, "reached" for
the confiding woman whose trust he had
so outragerously violated, and proceeded
10 bazg her about after the fashion of auld
larg syne."
Communications or packages intended
for Mr.. George White will reach him if ad-
dressed in plain, legible hand, in care of
the keeper of the workhouse.
Tim Buck was charged with having
made an assault upon Dell Gray. Miss
Gray made her appearance in the court
room with her fair couutenance sadly
msrred. She stated that she has known
Mr.. Buck but q short time; has never quar-
relied with him, and knew of no reos0n why
he should have made an assault upon her,
which he did by knocking her down, chOk-
ing her, and stamping upon her, according
to her own testimony. The defendant was
ably represented by legal counsel,
the latter paying close attention to
all the testimony adduced on behalf of the
prosecution, and producing two witnesses to
establish the fact that when Mr.. Buck is
sober he is one of the most peaceable, law
abiding citizens in the place. He then sd-
dressed the court, making one of the most
powerful and exusstive arguments ever
heard in the Nashville Police Court. 81 ask
not for an acquit al of my Client" said the
learned gentleman, ''for l am willing to
acknowledge that he has laid himself liable
to alfine, but do plead for leniency. All the
annals of history and of the law" continued
he,'"goes to prove that extreme penalties
never did reform man. You can bring a
man over sooner, your wor-
Ship by kindness, than by
harsh measures. l have shown by two
competent witnesses, that Mr.. Buck is
quiet, law-Sbiding citizen when sober, but
upon the occasion referred to, he was
drunk-crazy drunk, your worship, and the
decisions OF the Supreme Court have es-
tablished the fact that when man is drunk
he is insane, So to speak, and his actions at
such times are to be looked upon with great
leniency. When my client knocked that
womsn down, sir, ne was insane; his actor
was that of an insane man, and ask that
YOU take this fact into consideration. 1
make drunkenness no excuse--no full ex-
| cuse for offenses, but do hope your wor-
ship will be as lenient in this
instance as possible. Leiency will
be, think, better in this case than extreme
or harsh measures" Thus the learned
counsellor continued at length, citing many
interesting cases in support of the position
| he had taken relative to Mr.. Buck having
| been insane at the time referred to. 1t is
to be regretted that the entire argument
cannot be produced in print, to b. handed
down to posterity along with the celebrated
argument of Sergeant Buzfuz, and other
similar efforts. The court was so deeply
impressed by the argument of Mr.. Bucks
counsel, that he only fined the defendant
| $40