Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-11-30

and converting tragedy into travesty.
On the second morning after the judge
had ruled in favor OF the 'stand
| aside" claim, Weiss convulsed every
body by coming into court with an
armful of ancient legal literature, OBJ
timed by ransacking every law library
| in the city, and asserting right, un-
der the ruling OF the court, to establish
his Innocence by ordeal, or trial by
combat. He commended that if unre-
pealed ancient procedure is good law
his claim to demand the "wagere of
battel' was as just and equitable as the
"stand aside" privilege. Shrieks of
laughter followed the ssd.faced mans
demand, irresistibly comical in itself,
but the more exquisite from the fact
that he is a little, attenuated, weak
chested, ssthmatic body, weighing only
So pounds, while his adversary is her
culean Christian who tips the scale at
200 pounds, and before whom in per-
sonal encounter the funny editor would
melt away like the boar frost under
the morning sun. Weiss has carefully
drawn up all his rights under unrepeal-
ed laws, and he proposes TO make this
Judicial district sick OF King Edward
the First. These alleged rights are:
First "The ordeal of fire." He
claims that he can demand the estab-
lishment of his innocence by Offering to
plunge his arm into boiling oil, pic'y. up
red-hot iron, or walk barefoot over nine
red-hot ploughshares, and that if he
sustain no hurt by the operation his
innocence will be proved and the costs
belong to the prosecutor. But this test
after mature deliberation, he will waive.
GAN that remains" says Weiss, sis to
demand the trial by combat, and may
God defend the guiltless." He de-
scribes the proceeding of this Combat az
follows, producing ancient authority in
10 support:
The Judges and clergy are to assem-
BILE on a given day, and before them
the accused person must fling down
his glove aud declare to defend it with
his body. The prosecutor will then
pick it up and announce his readiness
to make good the appeal, body for
body. Then both men will bring up
their battle axes or javelins, and kneel-
ing before the Judge, will make oath
that the weapons have not been charg-
ed by witchcralt, etc. This done, each
is to grasp his ak in his right hand,
ard the left hand of the other in his
left. The accused person to say.
"Here this, o man, who callest myself
John Firch by the name of baptism,
that /, who call myself Frank Weiss by
the name of baptism, did not libel
you, so help me God and all the saints"
To which the accuser will reply:
"Hear me, o man, whom l hold by
the hand, and who callest thysslf Frank
Weiss by the name of baptism, that !
do hold thee peuured, and this l will
prove with my body, so help me God
and all the saints" AT a signal from
Judge Galbraith the men will come
out of their corners and go for each
other, and his cause shall be consider
ed before the going down of the sun.
The merriment caused by Weiss's
claim can better be imagined than
described. One stout juror came
near having fit of apoplexy, and an
other laughed himself into imbecility.
During the roars of laughter, Weiss
stood without smile on his face, a
picture of stolid, substantial misery.
While conscious of the absurdty of
his claims and the mpossibility of sub
stimulating them, Weiss made the APP
peal with tragic earnestness that
almost induced commissions. The
upshot is likely to be that the case
will be laughed out of court.