Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-09-04
Aunoruus department.
"RATTLING" A WITNESS.

Qr1Vln& Oy tue lSCCiuSiii uouso, "nS'
Mr.. Pettingill's dog dashed out ant
began to bark. The horse reared ant
kicked, and finally fell. Mr.. Blak'
was thrown out, his <rm was broken
and both horse and buggy were dam
aged. Mr.. Blake was therefore, suing
Mr.. Pettingill for $500 damages. Sew
eral witnesses told the story Of th'
accident. The most convincing state
ment was made by an old man wht
saw the whole affair, and described il
in a simple and straightforward way
The defendants lawyer was young
man named Haskell, recently cone
from a neighboring city. Success II
one or two cases had given him
reputation for "smartness" which he
was eager to sustain, and the mild
faced old witness, who told such
matter-of.fact tale, seemed to him
promising subject for vigorous cross
examination.
"Now you say" the lawyer began
"that YOU were near the horse and
dog, and saw what happened?"
Eyes, sir" replied the old man
simply. -,
"Just how near were you ?"
"Well, I think"
"Never mind what you think.
want to know just how far you were
from the horse and dog," insisted the
lawyer.
"Well, suppose"
81 tell you 1 don't want to kno"
what you think or what you suppose.
I want a plain answer to my question
"But was only going to say" be-
gan the witness, timidly.
"Will you or will you not answer
my question ?" thundered the lawyer
The color rose in the old mans face
and his blue eyes snapped. He had
evidently told an honest story, and
was irritated by the lawyers attempt
to discredit his testimony. Conclud.
ing, probably, that the only way to end
the badgeriIg was to'make a positive
statement, no matter what, and then
stick to it, he spoke up sharply: 81
was Just % feet from the horses head u
"Will you swear it was not 27 feet p
asked the lawyer.
"It was just % feet" repeated the
old man, doggedly..
"Do you mean to tell r!s that you
can judge distances as accurately as
that ?"
ayes, sir, can."
The lawyer, feeling sure that the
witness had given his first definite an
swer in the hope of escaping further
questioning, and had been too proud
to recede, turned amiably to the jury.
"Gentlemen," he said, "our vener-
able friends ability to measure distan-
ces by the eye is remarkable. But in
Justice to my client fee obliged to
make little test here in your pres
ence." Then, turning with malicious
smile to the witness: "Won't you give
US an exhibition of your wonderful
powers by telling US how long this
courtroom is ?"
The old man glanced carelessly along
the side of the room, and promptly
answered, "Thirty-three feet and seven
inches"
"N5w," said the lawyer, confident
ly, "I will show you, gentlemen, the
difference between knowledge and
bravado. Will the court kindly per-
NIT the room to be measured p
The order was given, and to every
ones surprise the result was announ:
ced as exactly thirty.three feet and
seven inches"
Lawyer Haskell turned red. IA
strange coincidence; nothing more y
he cried, in what was meant to be an
offhand way. "Perhaps the witness
will also tell US how wide the room is. y
"Certainly," replied the old man
"It's % feet and inches"
Someone got down on the floor and
measured the distance carefully
"Twenty-two feet, four inches" he
announced.
Lawyer Haskell turned Indignantly
to the Judge. "Your honor" he said
"there is some trickery here! l vii
ask the witness one more question
and I will find out for myself whether
he tells the truth or not" and then, te
the witness, "How high is this room p
Fourteen feet and one-half inch,
answered the old man, cheerfully anc
promptly, with hardly a glance from
floor to ceiling.
The lawyer called for step-ladder
and with red face and set teeth climb
ed slowly up, measuring with grea
care. The crowd watched him, anc
almost unconsciously began to coun
aloud as the two-foot rule crept up
"Four, six, eight, ten, twelve, four
teen!" By this time the end of thu
rule was so near the ceiling that ther'
was no pecessity for Mr.. Haskell t.
announce the result. The whole room
burst into shout.
"The witness is excused" was al
the lawyer could say when he CAM
down.
Although, in summing up, Mr.. Has
kell tried to prove that Mr.. Pettingil
never kept dog, anyway, and tina
Mr.. Blake's horse was afflicted with tn
etaooers and snbiect to heartfailure ant