St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-01-10
a Clever Satire.

The following hurlesque on the p. 4
o. hearing ut this place, we copy from
the North star. George" was evidently
| present. After describing the formida-
ble array of legal talent in the case. he
says:
These two factions arranged them
| selves ready for action, and evidently
thought they had some mighty question
to handle, upon the result of which de-
pended the fate of empires, Kingdoms
and provinces. The affirmative side
wanted the money bad, and Col. Jewett
was on hand ready to sign off the Ger
titicates. The negative side bristled all
over with wrath and Indignation at the
prospect of an additional debt being
saddled upon the road to be declared IA
prior lien to the bonded Indebtedness
Judge Ross was apparently frightened,
knowing full well that unless he granted
the prayer of the petitioners, he would
be cOllared by Col. Dickcy and waltZed
out of the court room to Il tune several
degrees quicker than that set to the
words of ''Our days are as the grass"
&c. Then the Judge looked at Phelps,
and he contemplated what his fate
would be if he decided for the affirma-
tive side, or in favor of Dickey, and
against the former. And thus the fore
noon wore away without anything being
done, it never for moment occurring
to the lawyers on either side that with
all the permission in the world to issue
certificates of Indebtedness the people
at large couldn't be prevailed upon to
take them, eUen at q discount OfI25 per
cent.
After dinner they met again in the
court room, and Stafford, of st. Albans.
read preamble and resolution to the
effect that Mexican dollars being worth
but S5 cents on the dollar, therefore be
it resolved that his clients be required
to pay him in gold for services perform
ed in this case. Stafford had heard it in
timated at dinner that he was to be paid
III receivers certiticates.) Mr.. Belden
proposed an amendment so as to include
all attorneys employed in this case.
They all favored the scheme except Col
Dickey, who said he was ''greenback-
er," and would take nothing but that
commodity at discount of 100 per cent
lnasmuch as the discussion as to the
relative worth of Mexican dollars, re-
ceivers' certificates, gold and greenbacks
made it more imminent that the halls of
justice might be converted into a stock
exchange, the Judge called Col. Jewett
to take the stand and tell what he knew
about railroading and the worth of the
mackerel fisheries at Maquam Bay. The
Col. said he had always observed that
cars run easier on down grade than on
an up grade; that he wanted to shorten
up the line, for whereas, as the road was
now built, we are compelled to go dis
tance of $4,000 miles in making the
trip between st. Johnsbury and East
Hardwick, and he thought the line be-
tween these two points might be short
ened at least 100 miles and still pre-
serve all the present trestles, and some
OF the shortest curves. The Colonel
further said that the mackerel fisheries
at Maquam Bay were of great impor-
tance to the road; that he desired Sl8,-
OOO or $4,000 at once with which to
purchase food for the fish during the
present winter, and to secure supply
OF "bait" for next summers catch good
bait was now worth $4 per gallon, and