The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-05-03
FORCED INTO Perjury.

The other day it was necessary for Mr..
Pinder to go into court as witness. Mr..
Pinder knows the nature of an oath, and he
isn't man who would perjure himself for
the biggest and best farm in Michigan. Mr..
Pinder was ordered to stand up, raise his
his right hand, and swear that he would tell
the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
the truth. Then he sat down and lawyer
began:
''Mr. Pinder, you saw this affair, did
you2"
II did"
swell, state to the jury what took place. "
"Well, I was sitting in the house, and my
wife suddenly called"
Never mind your wife, Mr.. Pinder," in
terrupted the lawyer.
"Why, sir, my wife called to-"
Never mind your wife, say! want
to know what you know"
Mr.. Pinder had been sworn to tell tho
truth, and the whole truth, but right at the
outset the lawyer wouldn't let him do either
one. Then he began:
II was sitting in my house, when"
Il don't want to know what happened in
your house. A fight took place in the street
and if you we're on the spot want to know
it!"
"Well, heard loud talking, and"
u want to know if you saw the defend
ant strike the plaintiff" interrupted tho
lawyer.
Mr.. Pinder had sworn to tell all about it
in truthful manner, but he was now Or
dered to leave out more than half of the
whole TRUTH" and begin where it suited the
lawyer.
when I crossed tho street, woman
said"
II don't care what O woman said, sir!s
shouted the lawyer.
What that woman said should have been
told, according to the oath taken, but the
lawyer wouldn't have it.
''Well saw two men fghting-the plain
tiff and defendant here" observed Mr.. Pin
der.
DO you swear that these were the men?"
MIR. Pinder had sworn to tell 'the truth,
the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, +"
and the lawyer turned right about and hint
ed that he might not have seen the men he
had sworn he saw.
'These were the two men, he answered.
"And you saw blows struck"
tT did"
''Now we claimed that not single blow
passed." shouted the lawyer.
He was defending man with black eye
and busted nose, who had been arrested
while fighting. and Mr.. Pinder had seen the
fight, and yet he claimed that Pinder didn't
see blow struck.
''No matter what you heard"
Mr.. Pinder had heard plaintiff dare de-
fendant to strike him; and he had sworn to
tell the truth, and yet the lawyer forced him
into perjury. He wouldn't let him tell the
whole truth--nor even half of it.
ibid you see blows passed." resumed the
lawyer.
81 did"
"And you saw the plaintiff strike the de-
fendant frst?"
mo, sir; the defendant struck first"
"What! Do you know what you are
swearing to? Didn't you just take an oath
to tell the truth in the case?"
81 did"
"And now are you trying to mislead the
jury by suppressing part of the truth-by
telling what you wish to and suppressing
WI you don't?"
mo, sir Just as I heard"
"You heard! We don't want to know
what you heard.
Mr.. Pinder didn't want to suppress any
thing, but he was forced to; he wanted to
tell all about it, but they wouldn't let him;
he wanted to tell the whole truth, but they
wouldn't have it. They made him perjure
himself while swearing to tell the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth.