The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-12-20

Virginia City, New. Chronicle.
The general stagnstion OF bushes
recently prevailing in Justice Noses
court, was considerably relieved yesters
d4y by the trial of one William II.
Hendricks, charged with obtaining
money under false pretenses. The prose-
cutting witness was Henry Wilkins.
young man from Gold Hill, who appeared
boiling with rage and impatient to pour
into the ear of the Justice the story of
bis wrongs. He stated that he possessed
taste Tor the antique and rare in art
and was especially delighted with choice
souvenirs of distinguished people. AS
he expressed it " a tender flower from
the tomb of some inspired poet, a bit of
wood from some great cathedral, or q
delicate twig from some famous historic
spot is TO me source of exquisite
| delight" He then told how the de'end-
ant had sold him cabinet of rare curl
osities for 800, representing at the time
/ that they were a collection from the old
/ world, when in reality every thing in
that lot had been found or picked up in
! Storey County. He considered his feel.
| ings tastes and general love for the asso-
Citations of the past outraged by the cruel
| conduct of the accused.
Mr. Hendricks then took the stand
/ He admitted all that had been charged
| against him. He had found Wilkins a
man with An abnormal love for curicsj-
/ ties, a man continually hunting for old
/ autographs, rare postage stamps, faded
/ flowers and old pieces of tree bark from
/ famous places. He had accordingly
manufactured lot of these relics.
Tire articles sold TO Wilkins were here
! produced by Mr.. Drake, the Prosecuting
Attorney.
Mr.. Drake picking up a piece OF old
iron y" What is this p"
Witness (grinning) -" That, sir. is s
! piece of the cannon ball that wounded
/ Napoleon at Waterloo"
/ Mr.. Drake" Where did you get it %
Witness" At the Fulton foundry
on the divide Laughter in court 7
/ Mr.. DralIe-' Here is another relic,
| lab led St. PauPs Cathedral before the
great fire. Where did you get that -
Witness From my wood pile 1
stained it with iodine to give it age. -
! More merriment,
Mr.. Drake And this %
Witness" Twig from the grave OF
! Victor Hugo"
! Mr.. Drake" But Hugo isn't dead. -
Witness (much astonishedl -" Is that
/ so | thought he kicked the bucket last
J
Mr.. Drake" Here Is a brick"
Witness" From the house of Oliver
/ Cromwell; got it on G street That
bunch of grass you have there didn't
really grow on the grave of Mary, Queen
OF Scots, but l made Wilkins think so.
and got 81 for 1T L gathered it down
by the bonanza reservoir. All those
other traps l picked up around the
town and labeled 'em properly, as YOUR
Honor can see. Those autographs of
Washington, Garibaldi, Lincoln. Wilkes
Booth, Lafayette, Tslleyrand, Voltaire
and Marcus ID. Boruck, l wrote myself
and then laid 'em away in a damp place
TO give 'em age"
Mr.. Drake Did you ever fool any
body else on these relics %
/ Witness sold an oil painting to
Hank Smith for S250-a sketch by
! dogarth, / told him. As a matter Of
! fact, 1t was an old vinegar bitters pic
ture, so smirched you couldn't see it,
he paid me 800 down, and never went
after the rest" Tremendous merri-
ment, suppressed by Constable Norton I
The Court" Amt you the chap that
sold me n original sketching by Rem
/ brandt iast summer ?"
! Witness (coolIy)-" Yes, your Honor,
and also the pen that John Randolph
signed the Declaration of Independence
with"
/ Here howl of laughter went up, and
even the stolid features of Constable
1 Norton relaxed.
The Court said thst it had heard testi-
monv enough and reserved its decision
/ Justice Moses is now hunting for some
law which can be so construed "a to
consign the defendant TO State Prison
for life.