Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-10

visitor is daily shocked by the cold, matter
of-fact manner in which the various wit
nesses declare the truth Of their evidence
End call upon their Creator to support the
statements they are about to make.
A short time since, the writer CHANGED
into one of Pittsburg's criminal courts.
There was very important case before the
jury-a murder case in point of fact. The
murder had been of an aggravated
character, but there were circumstances
which seemed to throw a doubt upon the
guilt of the man arrested for the crime;
everything demanded the greatest caution.
One of the objects of an oath in such case,
should undoubtedly be, to impress the
witness fully with the importance of his
testimony, and the grievous nature of per-
Jury committed by him.
Yet when the witnesses were called, the
oarhs were administered 10 them parrot
fashion; they could scarcely have under
stood five words of the sentences mumbled
bv the clerk, and the manner in which thew
accepted the solemn declaration was callous
in the extreme.
Upon one witness the conviction, or par
don, of the prisoner really depended. His
evidence was the crucial point in the trial.
On his name being called the man minced
up TO the table, clearly delighted because all
eyes were fixed on him. He had been pull
ing up his collar and arranging his dress
for some moments before the summons, and
it was painfully evident that he had donned
his best suit for the occasion, and wanted
everybody to recognize the fact
SWEARING A PERJURER.
When confronted BY the clerk his face
assumed q preoceupied look. He was
thinking Of the clever answers he would
give the attorneys by and by. The mans
right hand went up, mechanically; but his
brow was puckered with thought. When
the words of the oath were over he was
} ignorant Of the fact for several seconds. for
he continued to hold his hand ND. until the
voice of one of the counsel reminded him
Then he started, hurriedly lowered his hand.
and prepared to swear away the life of a
fellow being.
Similar little scenes were repeated freouent-
" throughout the case; and the fruits of the
system were apparent in the self-eyident
perjury Of several witnesses. The word
perjury is used sdvisedly; for when two
sane men swear to two diametricallvopposed
versions Of the same incident, il is but
natural to accuse one of them of downright
perjury. By a happy euphuism, the word
mistaken" is substituted BY the legal
lights for the word perjury" and thus a
good many guilty folk escape well merited
punishment.
But to the most solemn occurrences. there
is often a quaint and even a humorous side
In church the old gentlemen will select the
softer cushions, and doze on the sly, and the
ladies cannot help observing each others
bor
would 60 on, even while the air yibrated
with the utterances of Talmage. At the
most horrible murder trial, the counsel for
the prosecution, will make Joke. if he can
think of one, and the Judge, not uufre-
ouently, caps it with another. So it is with
oath-taking in the courts. This solemn
ceremony has its oddities.
CUSTOMS IN OTHER LANDS.
In almost every country the wituesses'
oath varies. The custom in her Britannia
Majesty's realms is to kiss the Bible; but a
few years ago affirmation was made legal.
In some States Of the Union affirmation is
the only form in use; and in New ENGLAND
the kissing of the Book is still observed.
Throughout the continent swearing with the
hand uplifted is much practiced. This
method is q relic of paganism, and was
adopted and harmOnized by the Christians
lilse many other ancient forms. The writer
has seen in the Leabhsir Breacan, an Irish
MSS. inscribed prior to the Christian era.
a passage Of which the following is a trans
Iation: tAnd then the King, dipped his
right hand into the blood Of the slain bull,
and lifted it up, before the hosts. Aud ne
said: BY this right hand swear to speak
truly, in the face Of Bel, father Of gods and
meni And may the gOdhead smite me with
red lightning If 1 do speak falsely before
him.'S This was probably the old form of
the oath. as we find Vercingetorix making
similar one in Cesar'S Gallo War. 1t is