The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-04-14
DIR. Jerry Buster in Court.

In the mountain region OF the State a
man named John Foster was recently
tried for assault and battery upon the
person of William Truitt. The first wit
ness was one-eyed, rough-bearded man.
He was lame. He lost his missing eye
in a fight. This was his first appearance
in courthouse, although he looked to
be some sixty years of age. There seems
to have been an irreverent admixture of
the sacred and profane in the makeup
of his name, which was Jeremiah Buster.
As he stood amid the crowd close OBJ
server might soon have discovered that
the whole scene was new to him When
the prosecuting attorney called him to
the witness-stand he limped around the
railing of the bar and took his seat on
the stand. He gazed around him with
a bewildered air, yet there was that in
his demeanor which showed that he had
not parted altogether with the self
assertion and independence character
istic of the jewellers in the mountains.
He took in as much of the situation, per-
haps, as a one-eyed man could be reason
ably expected to do on his first appear
ance ON the scene.
Prosecuting Attormey-''What is your
nameP"
Witness (ejecting stream of tobacco
Juice on the floor)-''Jeremiah Buster,
Squire. They GENERALLY call me Jerry,
for short"
Prosecuting A@Or'ey-"Well, Mr..
Buster"
WstnesS-Now, Squire, don't call me
Mr.. Buster, eff you please. Pm sildom
called that. and"
The Court-''Mr. Witness"
Witness-Now Jedge, jes' call me
Jerry. ef you please. l amt used to
bein' called mister, and it sorter sounds
strange like. Jes' call"
The District Attorney here arose and
said that he felt satisfied the witness did
not mean to commit contempt of court,
but spoke thoughtlessly and from force
of habit. He hoped the Court would not
send witness to jail, at least at that time,
as he was the only person by whom the
State could prove the offense charged
against the defendant in the Indictment,
and the trial would, therefore, be sus-
pended. The Court replied: eff the
witness knew no better, it was time he
was learning. and he could not be broken
too soon of bad habit, if it had obtained
such control over him as to cause him to
violate all propriety."
District AttOrneV-"Tha is all true,
your Honor, but if the witness is sent to
jail now shall be compelled to enter a
nolle prOsequiin the case and the trial
must be suspended, as this is my only
witness"
After some further difficulty in bring
in Ibo 1uitr TO I,a aioo
ton proceeded.
District AHorney-''Jerry, were you
present in August last at Johnson's tan
yard when difficulty occurred between
the prisoner at the bar, John Foster, and
William Truittp If so. tell about it in
your own way
WStness-"Well. Squire, one night
thar was turribie storm passed thro'
our make of the woods and bowed down
a big poplar in the corner of the horse
lot and killed my speckled caf-"
District Attorney-"Never mind about
INC Hsat'sess-"wen, Squire, I'll tell you.
Eff that storm hadn't ter blowed down
the tree on the caf and killed it, l wouldn' t
er skinned the CAT, and eff | hadn't er
skinned Che caf wouldn't er tuck its
hide TO the lanyard, and eff l hadn't er
tuck the hide to the lanyard wouldn't
or bin thar-now would I?''
District Attorney "Well. 1 suppose
not. Go on"
Witness -"And eff hadn't er bin thar
4 couldn't er seed nothin' to tell-now
could Up You see, Squire, you didn't
know what what l was a-coming at
now did yer?"
District Attorney-'Well, go on"
WitneSS-''Well, arter l skinned the
caf kotch my old mare and carried the
hide over to the lanyard. When / got
there | seed Jack Foster a-sittin' down
by the rut of tree and Bill Truitt were
,a-talSin' to him."
District Attorney-'Well, what did
Truitt say to defendant Foster?"
WitneSS-''Well, Squire, you see when
| rid up on my old mare, seed Bill a
rtalkin', but l couldn't hear a word he
said, fur 1 wara hundred yards off when
l fus' see 'em."
District Attormeu-Well, didn't you
get near enough to hear anything that
wassaid"
Wsssess-''O yes. Squire"
District Attorney swell, after you
got near enough to hear, what was
saide"
WItness-"Well, Bill sed to Jack thar
.(pointing to the defendant) Il want you
TO pay me the dollar you owe me-"
District Attorsey-"Well, was that all
that was saidp"
Wit,sess-"O no, Squire, that warn't
ALL"
District attorney (impatently)-
'"Well. please 60 on; tell all that was
said" ....
Witness well, Squire, it 'peared
like Jack didn'tpay the money, and Bill
sed that Jack was not an honest man,
and Jack ris up frum the rut Nv the tree
and breshed the dust often the seat NV
This britches."
District Attorney-''W What did Jack, as
you call him, sayP" ' Is
Wit,aeSS-"Never said q der--never
said nuthin' at ALL"
District Attorney-"W We'll, tell us about
the fight between them"
Wttness-'EThar worn't no fife atween
EN- that seed"
District Attorney-''Do you mean tc
say that there was no fight between
Truitt and Foster at the lanyard that
day in YOUR presenceP"