Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-06-05
OHIO, FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 1874

DcVcr butnmOneu OF 0OJnlnRs l0Htb
difficult TO PROVE" he says, dryly, uif
they swear you was, unless you can make
out an alibi. You don't deny being in
Blamarginshire when this took place"
Well, thought 1t over, and couldn't
deny but what had been there, hav.
ing stopped there week or so on
my way to see IL could get a
job to suit me- "Well, ihen," says
he, "1'm sorry TO say, if you can't pay
the penalties and costs, R275, you must go
do" says the policeman, I" for there's
another warrant out against him" "And
what's that for 2" "For assaulting the
excise" Says l, You're parcel of
lying scoundrels; and, peg legged as am,
I'll fight you to prove the truth Of your
words" "Ob, hush!" says the lawyer,
says |, is it feasible as poor lame chap
" Well" says he, laughing, "it's within
says, "if you really say you amt the
man, I'll go and see MIR. Gauger, and
ask him ifhe's quite convinced he's got
the right end of the stick"
Wen, it was no manner of use the ex.
ciseman was as sure he was right as If
he'd been omniscious. "I've got him."
says he; "he's Civ me heap of trouble;
they're a bad lot, these railway chaps, and
Illmske an example Of him. AS for his
not being the man, why, that's what they
all say; they've as many aliases as
thieves" says he; "but we've got this
man tight, anyhow, and we'll keep him {"
There was nothing more to be done, and
then they took me right off to Bla-
margin Castle and locked me up in
prison. And Mr. David stuck to me like
a brick, and drove all the way after us in
a hired car, and stopped the night at Bla-
margin, TO be ready for the court next
day.
For you see they was Obliged to bring
me before the magistrates through the
warrant for the assault, else they'd have
had me in limbo up to now, dare say.
Well, spent bad night, / can tell ye.
You see was right in the middle of my
work, everything hanging on to me, all
my money in the mud, as you may say,
and only me as could pick it out And
Mr.. Tracey depending On my work being
finished, too, and would have no mercy on
me now, through having been deceived
in me, as he'd say. 1t was almost as bad
a night as I'd had under the rock. For
though | kRowed [ was innocent, l
knowed too us nobody would believe as l
was.
Next morning, at eleven, was walked
up to the courthouse, and there was the
magistrates sitting all of a row, little
man with big nose being the principal
of them, and white-haired gent with a
pleasant rosy face coming next. And
alongside the magistrates who should be
sitting but Mr.. Tracey. And l felt rcg'lar
ashamed of myself, as he should see me
like this, and could hardly hold up my
head.
There was flashy young lawyer jumped
up as said he represented the Crown, and
Mr. David Fat at the other end of tho
table, and represented me. He was fat
faced little chap, with merry, twink,ing
eye, and round paunch, in gray tweed
suit as he'd slept in the night afore. But
he was all there, every bit of him, sharp
as needle. First they put up young
chap who it seems was training for
evidence ana tOIu the genus ali auou'
it. How he had information, two months
ago, that man they called Peg-leg had
set up within the last few days kind of
sly grog.shop; how he'd gone there with
a spirit level in his hand pretending to be
one of Mr.. Tracey's men, and got served
with glass of whisky, for which he'd
paid four pence. How he'd been served
by one-legged man, who he intensified
as the prisoner at the bar. and VINO
seemed to be the master of the house.
"And what particular reason have you, "
says the lawy er for their side, casting Q
sort of u swt eping glance round the court
as much as to say, here's a cllncher 1oi
them, "what particular reason have you
for intensiiying him?" "Well," says tht
young man, "when first went into tht
81. .op The man had taken off his wooder
leg and was sitting withoutshoe or stock
ing on, and smoking pipe. Aud ltoof
up the leg" he says, land observed, say
he, " as it had the initials upon it-P. l.
b. and made note of that and told thu
Supervisor about it, afterwards, and III
tells me that this mans leg is marked II
the same way" "Stop," said MIR. David
jumping up. "Gentlemen, | object.
You're quite right" said the magistrat
with the big nose; that's not evidence
and we shall dismiss it from our minds.
"Welli / shall call the Supervisor to prov
that, :" then said the otncr lawyer" Now
as to the assault. After you had drum
your whisky-you dId drink it ehg
"Yes, sir" said the young man.
didn't choke you going down, ehF sal
the lawyer, looking round TO the sen
blage as much as To say: You see II
not one with these chaps, although III
! bound to work for 'em."
But the little magistrate caught him u
sharp and told him not to waste time
and then the lawyer pulled up his shil
collar and looked as if he could say
good deal ifhe chose, but wouldn't. An
he went on. "Well, after you'd got you
whisky you told him who you reall
were?" ayes, l did, sir" AND whit
happened thenP "He called me ba
name, sir. and jumped up and said he
kick me out of the place" What, o
one leg? did he jump up on one leg
cried the little magistrate. No, he
get his leg strapped on by that time, sir
"Screwed on by that time, ahl wei
what followed ?" went on Mr.. Lawyer.
dared him to do it, and he made at n
and ran out" "And did he really kiC
you?" He did, SIR" "You're qui
sure that a kick was actually delivered
"I've proof positive, sir. I've got it in n
hand, sir;" here the young man hastl
undid brown paper parcel, and ore
out black cutaway coat. 1.-The flo
J of the shop was fine white clay, sir, al
rather damp, and you'll perceive that &
! mans foot left clear impression up'
} the skirt of my coat. I've kept 1t car
/ fully ever since" The young man he
9 up the coat for the magistrates to see, a.
G there, sure enough, was the print OF
G naked foot, two dabs of white for the he
!. and ball of the foot, and the marks OF
] five toes, all in row.
/. was quite bewildered-like for a m
/. ute, knowing as no such thing had e'
a happened; and then all of sudden
Y struck me what the truth of 1t W
d They'd took me for Sam-but how wa
D TO prove the differenceS Stop a bitl a
v with that makes signals TO Mr.. Dav
e and he jumps up and comes over to
r. dock and l whispers something in
1t ear. He mods several times and his e,
d wrinkles like di'monds and he goes bs
If to his seat. -. -,
6, "Welll" says the other lawyer, strok
/ his mouth with the palm of his hand
20 if he was trying to get the creases out
IS it, "Ah, hum don't want to ask
Q. anything more" So he sits down, and