The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1886-04-23
QUAINT JUDGMENTS.
Delivered by Kings. and Dukes
and Wise Men Generally.
Broke tho Force Of His FaiI-Owncd He,
SOMA Dog Dctective-The Duke Of
Osscne and the Galley

Ossonc and the Galley
slaves.
Every one, of course. il familiar will
the judgment delivered BY King Sol
ONION in the case Of the two mothers
Extraordinary as II must at first hav,
appeared TO those who heard il. il had
nevertheless. the effect Of bringing on
the truth, and making manifest which
OF the rival claimants was the gcnuin,
one. Scattered about in the various
histories and records Of men and ma
tons are 70 be found many other decis
ions OF dcspotic kings and princes. un
restrained by the iron hand OF statut.
law and precedent. which seem equal
~ quaint, and yet were equally Of
fcctiye in bringing about the desired
result. The case in which Portia ap
pcared as counsel Is no fiction q
Shakespeare though she herself ma,
be- The main facts Of the singular
bond and its attempted enforcement
and the consequent trial and judgment,
as related in 1.-The Merchant Of Ven,
ice.' are fairly wclI-authenticatcd mat.
tiers Of history.
There is q story related Of iudy.
ment given by Pedro the Cruel 81
Spain. imbucd with very much the
same spirit rs the one delivered in the
court At Venice. A slater was engaged
In repairing the roof Of house. and
while so engaged, through some false
step or other accident. lost his balance
and rolled down the slanting side Of the
roof. and fell over the edge into the
street below. just at this moment
fortunately for himself, though fortu-
natcly for the slatcr-a man was pass
ing along the street just in front OF
the house whose roof was being re-
paired Upon him the slater fell,
knocking him TO the ground with such
force that he eventually died Of the in
juries he received: while the slater
does not seem 10 have been much the
worse for his fall, being saved from
any violent conclusion with the hard
pavement by the intcrposition u The
body Of the unfortunate wayfarer.
The dead mans son brought an nc
ton against the slater. asking that he
might receive punishment for killing
hi~ father. and be made 10 pay him,
he Son. damages 10 compensate him
i5r bis loss. The King. before whom
t'r matter was laid, inquired into il
and satisfied himself that the slater
vas "A no way TO be blamed. his fall,
AMI I'm fatal consequence. being purely
accidental. In delivering his judg-
N ht. nc said that II was natural that
the son should desire some satisfaction
for the death Of his father at the hands
81 The man who had killed him. and
that this he was ready 70 order him.
Inc slater must 20 and stand exactly
in the position where the deceased man
had been at the time Of the accident.
and NE son might mount on the roof
Of ~ house and throw himself thence
on x the slater. and so mcte out to him
the same treatment as had been meted
Out y his. the plaintiffs, father. The
son, however. like Shylock, declined 10
run ne risks incidental to carrying out
The ln gment.
ihe Emperor Claud was appealed to
ns toung man who complained that
niN mother had disowncd him. saying
lsAi ny was no son Of hers. and in no
Nay tniitled to any share OF the family
sopc''y. The Emperor investigated
l4e mAiter, and came 10 the conclusion
lA1' lhongh there was no way OF
fi'e conclusivcly proving that the
'nhA man was the son of the woman.
.sr' was yct. practically, no doubt
s0oni ~ lie ordered the woman
M prought before him, and said
.# 'ne punishment OF her spoilers,
w nef 10 You still deny that this man
s"nr sunF' The relationship was
nA.'sn'ly denied. well, then"
WINK ,iaud. III he Il not your son. he
. 70 your husband. I order that
~ Immediately married to him.
Ags unexpected command reawakened
VIZ 'ne maternal feeling; and con-
ing ner perjury. she fully acknowl-
M" lhs Young man as her son.
reiateu OF the Sultan Soliman H..
MAt upon bis return 10 Constantine
N. E''cr me conquest of Belgrade. a
woman came 81 him. complain-
'uat ner cottage had been broken
~ some of the soldiers. who had
@''vu away Az her goods while she
WIZ ns'ecp. Soliman smiled. and told
wv ~ must have been sleeping hard. X
MN nau not heard Che noise the men
pruprty. - """' m
.. rue. my lord" she boldly re-
'nat slept soundly. because 1
'vl your liighncss was watching
s,l NM, \. Nc. The sultan. though he
NJ. ~ force ~ hcr rchuke, neverthe-
M s''mired her reply, and took steps
sua \ Restoration 81 her property
"e punishment OF her spoilers,