Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-11-09
MARK twain IN irons.
TIE HuNoRISr TRIED BlloRl An ADMIRALTY
COURT AT SEA
Found Guilty Of Unscisnsiae Lying sad ssntsncsd
to Read for Three Hoan Every Day from Bis
0wl wrh-Sportu Proceedings
on an Atlantic Lins.
sssasl oorr.spondsncs Of tAs Sunday Rtgtss~.

Stsefol Corrsspondsncs az us Sunday ktgtsfr.
NEW YORK, November Att was In
the month OF July last that Mark
Twain was put In irons and orough'
before an admiralty court upon serious
charges. The story OF that experiences
in the life OF the famous humorist has
Just been brought back to this country
by some OF those who witnessed the
trial and who saw Mark Twain In
chains, and nothing he has ever written
contains more humorous suggestions
than does this story.
Among Mark Twain's fellow passen'
gers upon the steamship Lain were eI.
Judge DIttenhoefer, OF New York; sgd
ney Webster, OF Boston, an eminent
lawyer; James T. Wallach, . prominen,
merchant Of New York city, and party
Of twelve Yale students, among them
being the famous football champion OF
Yale, Mr.. McClung.
Mark Twain had made merry with the
passengers. he told some OF his most
extraordinary stories, which, while they
had the appearance OF having occurred
to him at the moment, he insisted
were veritable chronicles, and rs In
credulity prevailed among the psssen-
gers IL was at last publicly declared
that Mark Twain was IN his capacity
as a story teller an inordinate and un-
scientific liar" The humorist resented
these accusations, insisting that II In
any OF his published variations there
appeared to be anything which Justi'
fed such accusation he had written II
In moments OF responsibility or In
sanity, and he declared that he was
willing TO stand trial upon these charges.
Captain Dampier, who has the power
OF an autocrat upon his ship, authorized
a court OF admiralty TO be organized, OF
which Mr.. Dittenhoeier was appointed
Judge. Mr.. Wallach was chosen by the
court counsel for prosecution, aud
Mark Twain selected the eminent law
yer, Mr.. Webster, counsel FOR the de-
Tense. The Yale students were impan-
eled as Jurors, and Mr.. McClung was
made foreman.
The court was held on the evening OF
July IA In the great saloon OF the steam
ship. Judge ID. ttenhoefer took his seat
on the bench, and never looked more
stern when he was serving as judge In
a New York city court. The jury were
seated IN a box to the right OF the Judge
and the counsel were gathered al a
table, and near them were the witnesses
for the prosecution aud the defense.
After the court was opened Judge DIT
tenhoeier instructed the sheriff TO
bring the prisoner In. The clanking OF
chains was heard, and moment later
Mark Twain, with dlsheveled hair, with
shutting step, because the ships irons
hung heavy on his legs, and with his
wrists incIosed in handouts, was brought
in and placed 10 the prisoners dock.
At a command from tho judge the
irons were removed, and the trial began
with q speech from the prosecuting OIL
cor, ia which he declared that he should
prove that Mark Twain had been guilty
of inordlnate and unscientifc lying.
Here the prisoner bent his head to con.
ceal his emotion apparently, and seemed
to be sobbing. Miss Il. L. Dlttenhoefei
was called as the first witness. She
read extracts from Mark Twain's de-
scrlption of the jumping frog. The
jury looked very solemn when this evil
dence was introduced, and Mr.. WEB
ster, the counsel for the defense, on
cross examination demanded OF the wit
ness what there was unscientIHc In this
lie, II IT was lie, and she replied that
although il caused people TO laugh they
smiled at the improbabability OF the
story, and added that there was moth
ing funny In the suggestion OF nllinH
the stomach OF q frog with shot to pre-
vent IL making a jump, aud thereby
causing its owner 10 lose q bet.