Mexico weekly ledger., 1879-10-30
A CALAMITOUS KISS.
Huggins n Maiden i'm the Dark
EEl Ezis Wife's Presence---He
is Justly Knocked Down for
the Deed.

Ahs AAAS w EHC . AICSChCC-AAO
is Justly Knocked Down for
the Deed.
Virginia City Chronicle.
Yesterday afternoon John Meeker
was tried before Justice Knox on
charges of disturbing the peace and
assault and battery. The case grew
out of q disturbance which took
place at social party at Mr.. Adams
house, on South f street. 1t ap-
peared that the defendant Meeker
had been invited to little party at
Adams house on Tuesday evening.
He attended the party, taking his
gill. Adams, in the course of the
evenings festivities, began to take
liberties with the girl, and Meeker
raised row, which ended in an as
sault on Adams.
Adams, the complaining witness,
testified that while the frolic was in
progress the defendant charged him
with improper conduct toward the
young lady he brought there, and final
ly assaulted him, striking him one in
the eye (eye exhibited to the jury).
Attorney for the defense.-Mr.
Adams, did you not deport yourself
in an unseemly way toward the young
lady?
The witness-Not altogether.
Attorney-Now, didn't you hug
her!
Witness-Yes, by mistake. (The
jury look at one another in astonish-
ment.)
Attorney-Please explain.
Witness-I was sitting on the sofa
alongside my wife when suddenly q
gust of wind put out the light. After
the light was extinguiShed | heard q
noise as if people were getting kissed
sensation, so thought I'd stand
in. | grabbed the lady next to me,
thinking it was my wife, and when
the lamp was relighted found it was
Miss Clark that | had hold of.
The laughter in the room WAS
checked by Constable Metcalf.
Attorney--Did you kiss her?
Witness-(Alter some hesitation)
i don't think did.
Attorney-Why are yon not sure?
Witness-There was so much con-
fusion at the
Attorney-Now don't you know
you did?
Witness--I won't swear positively
whether did or not.
Attorncy-If you had been sure it
was your wife, would you have kissed
her?
Here the witness looked uneasily
around for few seconds, and not
seeing his wife in the court room, an
swered with grin, mo "
This caused another general laugh
and the witness left the stand He
was more than astOnisht d mOmclt
after, when his wife was called. She
swept out from the back room and
took the stand, with her black eyes
swapping like terriers. At the
sight of her Adams presented pitia
bic appearance, and made himself as
small as possible behind Constable
Metcalf. No man it the court room
would have changed places with him
for thoIsand dollars.
Mrs. Adams had been subpHnied
for the prosecution, but her husband
labored under the mistaken belief
that she had been excused The
niefr;,t Attnrun.y r,rut hovn lyuoun
that it was dangerous to put her on
the stand, but he probably could not
resist the temptation. She was more
than anxious TO testify.
''We were having little social
party at our house last Tuesday even
ing. l was sitting beside my hus-
band on the sofa when he asked me
to go across the room and introduce
a couple of people that were not ac-
quainted. l went, and just then the
light went out. Soon after Miss
Clark, the girl that came with Meek
er, slid over toward my husband
that man sneaking down behind the
constable. Then heard 'cm kiss
ing. | told Meeker that it was q
put-up job, and he knocked my hus-
baml down. / thought he dId just
right"
Miss Lucy Clark, who lives on
North Stewart street, testified that
she WIS sitting near Mr.. Adams when
the light went out. Everybody was
rushing to kiss the girls, and she
thought she would get up close to
Mr. Adams for protection, he being
married man. Great mcrriment
in which the Court unwillingly join
ed.
District Attorney-Did he kiss
you?
Miss Clark [hlushing )-He thought
l was his wife.
The Court--Did you kiss him back,
thinking he was your husband?
AT this sally of the Court the spec
tators laughed uproariously, and it
required several minutes to restore
order.
Miss Clark declined to answer, and
the Court decided that she need not
crimlnate herself.
A young lad named Armstrong, a
nephew of Adams, swore that his un-
Gle promised him q dollar to blow out
the light r'hen he gave the signal :.
Adams scratched the top of his head
as signal. He gave the signal just
as his wife left him.
The jury found a verdict of not
guilty.
When Adams next has occasion to
scratch his head, it is probable that
he will find less hair there than when
he scratched.it the last time.
At the carnival in San Francisco in