The Arizona sentinel., 1891-02-28
EXTRAORDINARY SCENE.
q Drunken Judge and Counsel Rebukins
 a Sober Witness.

Drunken Judge and Counsel RebukinE
 a S0her Witness.
 A queer scene occurred at one of the evening sittings, which may bs worth recording. Sergeant Arabin had come down from the dining-room with the alderman on the rota, and they took their seats upon the bench, the countenances of both bearing testi- mony that their afternoons carouse had not been light one. The prisoner first upon the list was in the dock, and the prosecutor was in the witness-box. so that all was ready for trial. There was no counsel in the case, and, that being so, the judge always examined the witnesses from the written depos1- tions which were taken by the magis= trate and returned to the court by him. Now Arabin was very short sighted and also very deaf. On this occasion he unluckily took up set of deposit tions which had no reference to the prisoner at the bar; the charge against him being that of stealing pocket handkerchief, while the judge's atten- tion was fixed upor charge of steal- ing watch Holding tho sbortive writ ing close to the light, an6 peering at it through his spectacles, ho began his examination: "Well, witness, your name is John Tompkins. Wit ness-"My lord, my name is Job Fay lor." Judgo-'Ah! I see you are sailor and you live in the New Cut" Witness-''No, my lord; live ct Wap- ping" Never mind your being out shopping. Had you your watch in your pocket on the 10th of November?" Witness-'I never had but one ticker, my lord, and that has been at the pawn-shop for the last six montha." gudge-"W'ho asked you how long you had the watchP Why can't you say yes or no? Well, did you see the prisoner at the bari Witness Gin loud tone of voice, for he began to be little confused by the questions put to him) )-"Yes; of course I did.'' Judge-"That's right, my man, speak up and answer shortly. Did the pris- oner take your watchp" Witness Gin a still louder tone)-"I don't know what you're driving at. How could he get it without the ticket and that 1 had left with the missus?" Arabin, who heard distinctly the whole of the last answer, threw himself back in his chair, adjusted his glasses, and glared at the witness box with 8 look of disgust At last he threw down the dispositions to an elderly counsel who was seated at the barrister's table, and said: "Mr. Ryland, 1 wish you would take this witness in hand and see whether you can make any thing of him, for 1 can't" Now Ryland had been dining at the three o'clock din, ner, too, and he was never behindhan6 in doing honor to the civic hospitality. He stood up, stared ferociously for he had 6 countenance that could do 1t to perfection) at the unlucky wit ness, and, turning round and looking up at the bench, observed: My Lord, 1t is my profound belief that this man is drunk" its a remarkable coin- cidence, Mr. Ryland, said the judge, "that is precisely the idea that has been in my mind for the last ten miG- utes. It is disgraoeful that witnesses should come into sacred court of justice like this in such a state of in- toxication." Then, leaning over his desk to the deputy clerk of arraigns, who was seated below him, he said: ''Mr, Mosely, don't allow this witness ore farthing of expenses. I'll put a stop to this scandal If 1 can." need hardly say that the source of the mis- take was discovered and the witness got his expenses in the end. Sergeant Robinson's Bench and Bar.