The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-05-30

tpOuJ IL. how he had lnf0rmatlOn, Two
months ago, that man they called Peg-leg
lad 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 whiskey, for which he'd paid |
fourpence. How he'd been served by one |
legged man, who he identified as the pris-
oner at the bar, and who seemed to be the
master of the house.
ssAnd what particular reason have you,"
says the lawyer for their side, casting sort
of sweeping glance around the court, as
much as to say, Here's a clincher for them,
tifying him? ''Wel," says the young man,
"when l first went into the shop the man
had taken off his wooden leg, and was sit
ting without shoe OF stocking OH, and smok
ing pipe. And took up the Leg" he says,
"and observed" says he, "as it had the
initials upon it, P. L. B. and made note
of that and told the supervisor about it after
wards, and he tells me that this mans leg
is marked in the same way" Stop" said
Mr.. David, jumping up. "Gentlemen, OBJ
ject." you're quite right" said the mag
istrate with the big nose, 'that's not's evil
dence, and we shall dismiss it from our
minds.'' swell shall call the supervisor
to prove that" then said the other lawyer.
''Now, as to the assault. After you had
drank your whiskey-you did drink it, eh %
eyes, sir" said the young man. sit didn't
choke you going down, eh p said the lawyer,
looking around TO the 'semblage, as much as
to say, "You see Pm bound to work for
'em"
But the little magistrate caught him up
sharp and told him not to waste time; and
then the lawyer pulled up his shirt-collar and
looked as if he could say good deal if he
oh h.rf l1,.tf An he
''Well, after you'd drunk your whiskey you
told him who you really wereT' "Yes, I
did, SIR" "And what happened then?"
''He called me bad name, sir, and jumped
up and said he'd kick me out of the place"
''What, on one leg! did he jump up on one
leg?" cried the little magistrate. mo, he'd
got his leg strapped on by that time, sir?'
Screwed on by that time, all; well, what
followed" went ON Mr.. Lawyer. 81 dared
him to do it. and he made at me and ran
out" "And did he actually kick you?''
"He did, SIR" You're quite sure that kick
was actually delivered?" "pve proof posi-
tive, sir. "Fve got it in my hand, sir;"
here the young man hastily undid brown
paper parcel, and drew out black ut-away
coat. "The floor of the shop was fine
white clay, sir, and rather damp, and you'll
perceive that tine mans foot left clear i'm
preston upon the skirt of my coat. I've kept
it carefully ever since" The young man
held up the coat for the magistrate to see,
and there, sure enough, was the print of a
naked foot, and then the marks of the five
toes, all in a row.
was quite bewildered like for minute,
knowing as no such thing had ever happen
ed and then all of a sudden it struck me
what the truth of it was. They'd took me
for Sam-but how was to prove the differ
ence? Stop bit and with that I makes
signals to Mr.. David, and he jumps up and
comes over to the dock and I whispers some
thing in his ear. He mods several times, and
his eyes twinkle like di'monds and he goes
back to his seat.
''Wellv' says the other lawyer, stroking his
mouth with the palm of his hand. as if he
was trying to get the creases out of it. "Ha,
hum! I don't want to ask you anything
more" So he sits down, and up jumps my
man, full of fight. "Allow me-" says he, ''to
have lock at that coat you hold in your
hand, witnessr' Certainly" says the young
man, politely, and hands it over. ''Ha!'
| says my little lawyer, holding up the coat as
if he was an old-clothes-man. "That's a
pretty plain footprint. You're quite sure
you didn't makelthem marks yourself?' 81 We
sworn otherwise. says the young man, quite
swear in fact that this footprint was indented
by the man who assaulted you?' 81 do,
most solemnlyp' ''You'll observe gents, %
said Mr.. David, holding up the coat before
the eyes of the magistrates, ''that this is the
impression of a right foot" ''Eh, ali, yesr'
says the hook-nosed gent, looking through
his gold eye-glass. ''Clearly we can see that
for ourselves" Il Think" cuts in the other
lawyer, with grin on his face, ''my friend
will find it is the wrong foot for the client"
The excise seemed to relish this joke amaz
ingly, and likewise the police, but little Da-
vid looked scornful. Says he in Ia soft, oily
voice, ''Robert-defendant, will you have the
kindness to show the magistrates your right
footr' Whereupon whisks my peg-leg on
the top of the rail of the prisoners dock.
You never saw people look as them as was
against me. The young chap as went and
proved too much got it hot, I expect, from
his gauger, and that was nothing, l reckon
to what the super got from his headquarters
Their lawyer did his best for them, l must
| say. First, he pooh-poOhed the count alto
! gether; it wasn't an element in his case at all
he said; and when he saw that wouldn't do,
he tried to make out that peoples toes
weren't always on the inside edge of their
feet. Then he put it that p'raps, being a
one legged man, L d got right foot on my
left leg. At that offered to show the gents
my other foot, but they didn't want that. The
magistrates said that clearly the excise had
LHduc d iuiotdhc, anu Iuoy uopcu SuOulu .De
properly compensated for what I'd suffered,
and so they set me free without more ado.
And when the job was finished Tracy beck
oned me aside into a corner of the room, and
says he, who was it, Bob, that did it? Was
it Sam % GLOW can I tell, Mr.. Tracy %
says L; ct warn't me anyhow" "Ah," says
he, II remember now-the two wooden legs,
P. L. B. WE'LL" he says, looking quite sol
emn all in minute, ''you've made better
use of yours than Sam did. But Bob" says
he, ''here's a flyer for you for expenses, and
let it be warnin' to you, and don't you 60
breaking the law"
Whereupon thanked him, and said new
er would, and didn't neither, as long as was
in that part of the country, for there was eyes
upon me. all round after that, as you may be
snre.