The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-07-27
SANCTITY OF AN OATH.

SAM III VT AN OAIHs
"Abolsh all legal punishment for
perjury" said |, dogmatically, at the
end of a desultory argument with some
of the other clerks in the San Francis
co Mint, and not one witness in a
dozen would speak the truth. AS for
their oaths-bah! They don't care
that for them''-snapping my fingers
like the cluck of hen.
81 don't know, boys" said John
Fleming, who had taken no part in the
discussion, laying down his pen, and
squaring about upon his stool; I" l don't
know that [ can say anything on this
question worth listening TO, but if you
will stop your confounded figuring a
moment Ell relate little experience
OF mine that may be of service to this
young gentleman who knows so very
much about the nature of an oath and
most other things"
there was a general swapping to-
gether of ledgers and all manner of
books; Government clerks do not re-
4ulre much OF preteXt to stop work
We all gathered about John, like bees
about Hymcttus, and he began:
L was witness once, in a murder
case at Pinkerton's Bluff, on the North
Sandy, just above the falls. BobD-.
u friend of mine-knew him in the
States-was charged with having killed
Dave Thatcher, known in all that re-
gion as Bet-you-Dave. He had been
a born DICTATOR, had Dave. He was
never known to agree with the opinions
OF any man at the Bluff, upon any ques-
ton under heaven; and he made use of
the one Argument bet you five dol
lars"
The moment he heard anyone make
an assertion, express a belief, or hint
a rumor-frequently before possessing
his mind OF the speaker full meaning
he'd bet him five dollars it wasn't sol!
When nobody was talking he would
try in all indirect ways to entrap some
one int di eating an opinion upon
some subject, and then he was down
upon him with that everlasting wager
He would put up the money, 100, and
what's more he would commonly win:
unless there was dead sure thing
against him; and this was so frequently
the case that it kept him poor If, in
Dawes presence, man dared affirm
that his dog was yellow, quick as light
ming came an offer to bet him five dol
lars he wasn't; and it came with such
positive energy that if the man hadn't
seen his dog since morning it was ten
chances to one that he would back
down, or haggle for time to 90 and
take another look. | never saw Dave
myself; it was after his time that
came to the Bluff; but the fame of his
extraordinary wagers, and the no less
extraordinary way in which he some
times won them was in everybodys
mouth.
On the 18th day of July, in '5S,
Dave and my friend Bob D passed
the whole evening together in the sit
ting-room of the Spread Eagle Hotel,
and during the time Bob lost three
straight bets with him. About nine
o'clock they departed together, quar-
reling about the manner in which Bob
had been silenced but not convinced.
Dave was never afterward seen alive;
but the next spring dead body, almost
past recognition, was discovered hidden
away in chap0TrGI, 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 the body was that of Dave, and as
it had bullet in it-not some old bull
let, such as one might have somewhere
in his system, but comparatively
fresh one, which had passed through
the heart-Bob was taken into custody,
charged 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 l 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 to draw
his six-shooter a dozen times to keep
order After score of witnesses had
been examined for the prosecution,
every one of whom made things look
very black for Robert, the State rested
its case. Then the attorney for the de-
Tense arose, and simply said:
"Your Honor, / shall make no pre-.
liminary statement, and shall call but
one witness. By him shall prove an
0tt6t, or give up the case"
"Eh! What's thatP" shouted the
District-Attorney, hopping upon his
feet-as fussy little rascal as ever
snorted law before deaf Justice Of the
Peace. "Will you prove that the pris.
oner was not on Spanish Town road
the night of the alleged murder?"
ono! I'll prove that the deceased
was not"
There was marked sensation in
court as my name was called, and