Litchfield enquirer., 1874-06-18

| J of your words" 'sOh, hushr' says the lawyer, laying his hand on my arns,- i 'sWhy,"" hyy,"s says I, sis it feasible, as poor lame chap like me should go and assault the excise?" ''Well," says he. laughing, sits within the bounds of imagination. But, he says, eff you really say you ain't the man, I'll go and see Mr. Gauger, and ask him If he's quite convinced he's got the right end of the stick.''
 Well, 1t 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 giv' me deal of trouble; they're bad lot, these railway chaps, and I'll make 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 they took me right off to Balmargin Cas- tie, and locked me up in prison. And Mir. David stuck to me like brick, and and drove all the way after us in hired car, and stopped the night at Blamargin 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 mp to now, I dare say.
 We'll, I spent a bad night, can tell ye
 You see I 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 mo as could pick it out. And Mir. Tracey depending on my work being finished too, and would have no mercy on me now, through having been deceiv- ed in me, as he'd say. It was almost as bad night as I'd had under the rock. For though I knowed was innocent, l knowed too as nobody would believe es I | was.
 Next morning, at eleven, I was walked l up to the courthouse, and there was the magistrates sitting all of a TOW, little man with big nose being the principal of them, and a white-haired gent with pleasant rosy face coming next. And alongside the magistrates, who-should be ashamed of myself, as he should see me like thls, and could hardly hold up my head.
 There was a fashy young lawyer jump ed up as said he represented the Grown, and MT. David sat at tho other end of the table, and represented me. He was fat faced little chap, with Q merry, twinkling 1 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 mp young chap who it seems was training for the excise business-and he gave his evidence and told the gents all about it. How he had information, two months ago, that q man they called Peg-leg had set up, within the last few days, kind of sly grog shop; how he'd gone there with spirit level in his hand, pretending to be one of Mir. Traceys men, and got served with glass of whiskey, for which he'd pay fourpence. How he'd been served by a one-legbed man, who he intensified as the prisoner at l the bar, and who seemed to be the mas | ter of the house.
 1 'tAnd what particular reason have you,' . says the lawyer for the1r side. casting a sort Of sweeping glance round the court, as much as to say, Here's 8 clincher for them, "what particular reason have you for intensifying him?" ''Well," says the young man, ''when first went into the shop the man had taken off his woode leg, and was sitting without shoe or stock ing on, and smoking pipe. And I took l up the leg, y he says. 'and observed, as it had the initials upon it, P. l.. B., and I made note of that and told the supervis- or about it afterwards, and he tells mo that this man s leg Is marked in the same way" "Stop," said Mir. David, jumping 1 up. "Gentleman, I object" "You're | quit right. said the magistrate with the big nose, ''that's not evidence, and we shall dismiss it from our minds" ''Well! l shall call the supervisor to prove that, then said the other lawyer. ''Now, as to the assault. After you had drunk your whiskey-you did drink it, eh?" ':Yes, sir," said the young man. 'tIt didn't choke you going down, eh!' sad the law yer, looking round to the 'semblage, as much as to say, ''You sec that I'm not one with these chaps, although I'm 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 chose, but wouldn't. And he went on. "Well, after you'd drunk your whis- key you told him who you really were?" ''Yes, did, sir" ''And what happened then?" "He called mo bad name, sir, and jumped mp and said he'd kick me out of tine place" ''What, on one leg? did he jump up on one leg?" cried the little mag istrate. "No, he'd got his leg strapped on by that time, sir?'' Screwed on by that time, ah; we'll, what followed?" went on Mir. Lawyer, 'I dared him to do 1t, and he made at me and ran out "And did he actually kick you?', eHe did, sir. "You're quite sure that kick was actu- ally delivered?" 'sIve proof positive, sir. I've got 1t ln my hand, sir;' here the young man hastily undid brown-paper parcel, and drew out black cut-away coat: ''The floor of the shop was a fine white clay, sir, and rather damp, and you'll perceive that the mans foot left clear impression upon the skirt of my coat. I've kept it carefully ever since. :" The young man held ID the coat for the magistrates to see, and there, sure enough was the print of naked foot, two dabs of white for the heel and ball of the foot, and then the marks of the five toes, all in | Q row.
 | I was quite bewildered-li like for a min ute, knowing as no such thing had ever happened; and then all of sudden ;t struck me what the truth of it was They had took me for Sam-but how was I to prove the difference? Stop a bitl and with that I makes signals to MT. David, and he jumps up and comes over to the dock and l whispers something Tn lfis ear. He nods several times, and his eyes wrinkles like di'monds and he goes back l to his seat.
 "Welll' says the other lawyer, stroking ms mouth With the palm Of hlS hand, as if he was trying to get the creases out of l 1t. Ha, hum! don't want to ask you anything more" So he sits down, and up jumps my man, full of fight. ssAllow me-" says he. s'to have a look at that coat as you hold itin your hand, witness!'' Ger tainly, says the young man, politely, and hands it over. s'HaP' says my little law yer, holding up the coat as if he was an -clothes-man. That's pretty plain footdrint. You're quit sure yoa didn't mrke them marks yourself?" five sworn otherwise, says the young man, quite l dignified Hum, sworn otherwise; you swear in fact that this footprint was in- dented by the man who assaulted you?'' q do. most solemnlyr' ssYou'n observe gents, said Mr. David, holding up the coat before the eyes of the. magistrates, ssthat this is the impression of right foot. 'Eh, ah, yesjj'' says the hook