Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1889-11-08
HON. MIR. SARVER'S DE,
FENSE.

Down in the bacllwoods OF Alabama
some time ago, as | was travelling along a
country road, l noticed that something of
unusual importance must have occurred
There seemed to be an undercurrent of ex-
citement in the air. people whom l met
or, rather, those whom / overlook, for ev-
cry journey was turned in a certain diree-
tion-all appeared to be anxious. At last
I asked an old fellow to tell me the cause
of the unusual stir.
"Wall, it's jest this" said he, taking off
his old straw hat and tanning his heated
face. cold Mat Sarver has been arrested
fur stealin' NV a sheep"
"But why should the fact that a sheep
has been stolen create such an INTEREST," /
asked.
He 'fmended his licks' to keep pace
with my horse, and, after giving me a lin
gering look of pity, said:
"Don't know old Mat, do yon,"
"No; is he prominent MANI
Prominent lie was county road over
seer fur three year. Prominent amt no
name fur the place he held in the minds
nv the folks about here. but he went an
stole a sheep an I'll bet dollar that they
put him in the penitentiary slap bang. 1t
has stirred up the neighborhood from top
to bottom, an all these here people are
goin' to the trial How fur air you goin'
in this directiong"
''To the nearest railway station"
Then you have to pass through Sweet
Home, the place whar the cou't is held"
! decided to stop at Sweet Home and
see the result of the trial. as so great an
interest had been aroused, and upon arriv-
ing ''in town." | tieed my horse to
Swinging limb" and went into the old log
courthouse, The room was crowded; oc-
casionally child would "squawl," and
then a mule colt, out under the trees,
would bray in response. The jury had
just been empannele1; the prisoner sat on
a high bench near the twelve men who
were to decide his fate. The Hon. Mat
Sarver, as he was called, wore, in spite of
all efforts to be serious, decidedly conf
cal cast Of countenance. He had sort of
a sly hump to his shoulders-sly, for he
appeared to bend over trying to slip up on
something. His nose was long and thin
and of scythe-blade shape, and he had
small pea green eyes that had been set too
close together; his complexion was sallow
and his chin settlement" of whiskers re
sembled last years wheat straw
THE JUDGE BEHIND THE HICKORY.
The Judge, an old fat fellow, who sat
behind a railing made of an embarked"
hickory sapling, was far from being digni-
chewed tobacco and spit on the ''revised
statutes" but he evidently had an idea of
justice, for, turning to the prisoner, he
said:
''Hon. Mr.. Sarver, believe we can get
through with this thing little better
without lawyers than we can with them;
that is, if you will help me TO get at the
truth"
on help you," the prisoner answered,
taking out masticated quid of tobacco,
and with loud ''spat" plastering it against
the wall.
Good" said the Judge "You just help
me and the jury get at things and we'll
make it putty easy on the taxpayers. Hon.
Mr.. Sarver, you air charged here, sub, with
stealin' of sheep. I am told you are
we'll known in this community, and that
you used to be overseer of the county road
running from the old Dan Biscomb place,
through the Tupelo Cypress Swamp to
McMurry's still house, distance of eight
miles.
''Yas, sub, an | reckon l kept the road
in as good fix as anybody ever did. Folks
allus had to go round the swamp, anyhow"
"Ah, hah; well, Hon. Mr.. Sarver, as
you might have gethered from my re-
marks Jest now air charged here, sub, with
stealin of sheep; and sub, to cut matters
short, as these people would like to get
back TO their crops, | wish you would
please tell me, sub, whuther or not you
air guilty"
~ amt guilty.
"All right, Hon. Mr. Sarver as you air
disposed to prolong the proceedin's by
tcllin' lie at the outset, I'll join hands in
that little game and examine few of
these witnesses"
4 number of witnesses were examined,
proving conclusively that the Hon. Mr..
Sarver had stolen sheep belonging to
Widow Fulgum. The judge conducted
the cross examination, and then requested
the prisoner to take the stand
''Now, Hon. Mr.. Saryer, you say that
you did not steal the sheep belongin' to a
widow lady that never done harm, suh."
'"That's what l say"
''All right, but we'd like for you to clear
up some of the statements made by these
witnesses. Mr.. Jasper Henigan, who was
stackin wheat not far, saw you shoot the
sheep"
ayes, Jedge, | shot the sheep, but
lemme tell you why. I was walkin' long
the road with my gun-like ter toat it
ease rabbit or sutthin' might hop up
an all at once I seed little boy. l stop
ped, did, an looked, an then | say,
Hon. Mr.. Sarver, air you goin' to stand
thar, suh an see a great big sheep butt
the life outen little bit NY boyl' Then
saws. mo thousand times no, as they say
in the legislatur, an with that drawed
bead an down went the sheep. That's
the reason done it, Jedge.
NON. MIR. sARyER's EXPLANATION.