The Rugby news. (Rugby, Morgan County, Tenn.) 1890-189?, 1890-12-20
A CORNISH JURY.
Why 1t Gave q Verdict In Favor of Wick!
Donnell.

why IL U8Vo t0ruICs liz CnSoE OA SAOAy
Donnell.
The following is one of the west-coun.
try stories which ths late Sir Stafford
Northcote was fond of telling:
One day, as Mr.. Hicks was going into
Bodmin, he met Mr., farmer, who
lived near Launceston.
''Marnin', Mr.. Hicks"
'Good morning, Mr.. -; why, I
thought you always kept Launceston
market?"
"Well, so 1 did till Vicky Donnells
trial"
Now, Mr.. Vincent Donnell was vet
erinary surgeon, who had been tried on
the accusation Of having poisoned his
mother-in-law, an old lady who had died
rather suddenly after hearty supper
on rabbit and onions. Vicky Donnell
was acquitted, to the great astonish-
ment of the world at large.
"Ah, that's another question:" said
Mr.. Hicks; ''you were foreman of the
jury; how came you to let Vicky Don
nell OFF,"
"Now, Mr.. Hicks, you'me so bad as
the rest of them; they're always asking
why we let'n off, but I'll tell you how
twas.
"We were shut up in dark room
without food, fire or candle, and told we
must find verdict; so, when we talked
some time, 'Gentlemen,' 1 says, we
can't sit here all night, that's certain,
80 we'll take opinions. What do you
say, Mr.. -?' We was sittin' all round
long table, you know, and spoke to
the nearest
"'Why, think the mans had very
hard measure; don't think he did it at
all. She died of the rabbit and onions;
what bizness had an old 'ooman like
her to be aiting rabbit and onions al
that time of night?'
"Well, says Mr.. Pengelly who sat
next, 4 think twas the arsenic did it
They doctors be so frolicsome with thei
arsenic, always trying things on; still
as twas to be experimental like,
think twas much to his credit that h
took an old woman to try it on; h
might a. took young one.'
$50 l think says Mr.. Boase.
should not like to hang Vicky Donnel
for the likes of her, reckon she was
very tadious sort of old CONAN. Sne
not the first tadious sort of old 'ooma
that been put out of the way, not b
many a wan. 1 shouldn't like to han
Vicky Donnell for the likes of her.
"'No more should L, says the next
for Vicky Donnell he saved my wife
life in the scarlet fever; she'd die
else.'
"'Yes, and he saved my pig in tn
measles, said the fifth, so there's tw
lives for one, take it how you will
Well says the next Il do not thin
us ought to let him off altogether.
think we ought to give him six month
on the debtors side
go, you can't do that, mister, says
it must be neck or nothing
"'Well, then,' says he, Pm for moth
ing, I'm sure
"Well, Mr.. Hicks, thought there wa
a good deal in it, Mr.. Hicks; good deal
but 1 didn't like quite to make up M
mind, so l call en- down the table-fo
twas grown so dark you couldn't So
your head to Abraham Smith of Gram
pound-him with the squeaky voice
you know-us calls him Winnick TO
short; Mr.. Smith, says for you know
Mr.. Hicks, being foreman Of jury, nee
not call him by his short name-'Mr
Smith, says I-'Winnick,' adds, tina
he might know who was a-speaking t
what do you say to it? I've as goo
an opinion of your judgment as of an
man at the table, and you live owe
against the man opposite the water, a
'twere, so you must know-what do 70
think?'
"'Well, mister says he, what yo
zay, I zay, tu.'
Sir says I-'Winnick,' says l.
shall respect your judgment the longes
day have to live
Then I asks the next two, and the
said they'd go with the majority
: WELL says l, you 60 with us, an
you'll be the majority
$50 they went with us, and we wer
. the majority. And that's how Wick
Donnell got off London Star.