The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-02-04
sANcrrrY OF AN OATH.
. WONDERFUL YARN.

clerks in the San aapClSco MINE ~, Tho
one witness in dozen would r slnaSS on;t
truth. -As for their oaths-bab n.t :; ~ srs
care chat for them "--snarpins ivy ""e
like the 'cluek Of her. :, al, .John Elem
al don't know, boys sag 'J y;Snu.eion
uo nod taScn no part in the clscu.slo ',;
,ns, so,rn his rem and sqt'ius 60
IasIus s,ool al don't know tnat lcau >as
upon nis e ~ this question worth il>tcn'IS w.
anytn'ps viii stop your conioundeo tSui-
but II sonreni IN relate n little experience o'
Iig that may be Of service TO 'hlS !nuns
tl,u who knows so very macu "'"u.
20 nature of an oath ana hfo>' ''ne'
ah. rSerc vas a general swapping together OF
1edorrs and all manner OF DOCKS r"'u wa
mort clerks Go not require mucn vi h pr
tout 10 stop work. We ali salucieu ~
John like bees about IL! me'tuS' anu ~
gan: =, murder case at
pinkcron's Bluff, on the Nortn oan n.y., J" oT
ohove the falls. Bob D., itiel'u y,
.,;,,a,- knew him in the States-was Charged
,r.;,h having killed Dave Thacker. known III
Nh that region as Bet-you Dave. ne mao
Neon n horn dcbater, had Dave. lie was
,,eycr known TO sgree with the opinions OF
INV msn at The Bluff upon any Question
,,ndcr heaven: and ne made use OF Dut ohe
orrumcnt. " l bet you five dollars.
'frbe moment he beard any one lhakc Ill
-ocser,;on express n belief, or hint rumor
Ifreoueptly before possessing MS NINA OF cne
sSneoter's Cull meanine), he'd bet HIM five
s3n,lary Il wasn't so. When nobody was
sayE;no he would try in all indirect ways to
entran some one into indicating an OPINION
,,non some subject, then he was down upon
him with that everlasting wager. lie Would
mi M the money, too: and what's more, he
world commonly win unless there was q
dead sure thing against him; but this was
so frequently the case that II kept nun pool'
II in Dawes presence man cared 10 aiiirlh
that his dog was yellow, quick rs lightnnS
came an offer to bet him five dollars mat he
wasn't; and it came with such positive en-
crcy tina. if the man hadn't seen his do@
since morning it WAS ten chances to one lie
would back suuarely down, or hagsle for
time to go and take another look. never
saw Dave myself. 1t was after bis time that
came TO The Bluff but the fame of his eN-
1raordiaary wagGfs, and the 10 less extra
ordinary way in which be sometimes won
them, was in everybody's mouth.
On the 18th day 'of July, in '0S, Dave nnd
NV friend Bob D. passed the whole eve.
ming together in the bar.room of the Spread
Eagle Hotel, and during tic time Bob lost
three straight bets with him. About9 o'clock
they departed together, quarrellinS about the
manner in which Bob had been silcnced bul
mot convinced.
Dave was never afterwards seen alive; but
the nc xt spring dead body, almost past re-
coguition, was discovered hidden away in
the charparel, near the side Of the road over
which the two must have passed TO reach
their houses, about two miles from town.
Nearly everybody said that the DoGy was
that Of Dave, and as il had bullet III it-not
some old bullet, such as one might nave
somewhere in bis system, but compare
lively fresh one, which had passed through
fbe beart-Bob was taken into custody,
cha, red with the deed. In the mean time
] had moved up from below the falls, and
as the whole town had taken the other side,
determined TO stand by the friend whom
had known in the States.
At the trial the courtroom was packed
with people, and the tide of public opinion
set so strongly against the prisoner that the
Judge had 10 draw bis siy-shooter dozen
times to keep order. After score of wit
ness eS had been examined for the prosecu-
ton, every one of whom made things look
very black for Robert, tile State rested its
case. Then the attorney for the defence
arose ard simply said:
"Your Honor, shall make no preliminary
statement, and shall call but one witness. BY
him shall prove an aitdi or shall give up
tic 'case'
"Eh! What's that 2" shouted the district
attorney, hopping upon lis feet us fussy a
little rascal as ever snorted law before deal
justice Of the peace. Twill you prove that
the prisoner was not en- Spanish Town road
on The night Of the alleged murder?"
ono; I'll prove that the deceased was
mot"
There was marked sensation in court as
my name was called, and I was solemnly
sworn to tell the whole truth and nothing
but the truth.
AT 10 O'Clock on the night of July 10,
1885," / began circumstaEtially, 81 was
walking along the river-bank, on the side OF
the town opposite the Spanish Town road,
and just above the falls. wouldn't trouble
myself, if were you"-turning to the dis
trict attorney" to ask what was walking
there for, because it isn't anybod!'s bust
nesss" ......... s,.-.-
81 appeal to the court - screeched the
little rascal, spripging to bis feet, if Pm
81 ie inhu!'ed in this way"
"Keep still, will youI Saio us had ii u'aTs
s. and let the witness proceed" -N "'"" ;.
a favorable impression at the start, ana Il. |
gave me confidence. | resumed:
:. n was @ warm moonlight evening, and |
the mist rising above the cataract was less
dense than usual; so I could see tolerubIy |
well. Just at the brink, on an oyelhanging
rock, saw tall, bent figure, in gray clothes,
wearing SLOUGH bat-a very bad hat don't
see more than a hundred worse cr.s II ,y,, +,
ROOM" 1heie was general smile all rounds
and then the district attorney asked me If |
had known the deceased, MIR. Thatcher, in
his lifetime. replied that had not-had
never seen him. Il
"Remember that, gentlemen of the jury"
said he, with conceited smile creme mber
the witness had never seen nor heard OF the
deceased. We don't mean to controvert the |
witnesses statement on that point, sir" he |
added, addressing the counsel for the de-
fence, and smirking as if he had got hold Of
4 good thing which be would hold in re-
serve as final crusher.
"Cuss you'll" roared the Judge; "keep |
your mouth shut, will you9 The witness |
will proceed"
nssssI approached this person on the rock"
nRed, "and said Good evening""
live dollars it amt -" said he,
= : : ! ! | ! !
- stcher's widow,