The Arizona sentinel., 1900-05-09
EETRAoRDNAHT SCENE.

A Drunken Jadgo and Counsel z2cGaIa1G
 so1er Witness.
 $ queer scene occurred at one ol the evening sittingg, which may b. worth recording. Sergeant Arab-n 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- mCny that their afternoons carouse had not been Q light one. The prisoner first upon the list was in the dock, and the prosecutor was in the witness hoE, so that all was ready for trial There uas no counsel in the case, and, that being SC, the judge always examined the witnesses from the written 3eposi- tions which were taken by lI7s ih0gss- 5rate and returned 10 the c0uTa by him Now Arabia wzs very shG9t sighted and also very deaf On tnls occasion he un,ucEi,y took up 8 set of deposi- iors which had no reference to the prisoner st the bar; the charge against him being that of stealing @ pocket handkerchief, while tha jldge's atteI- tion was fixed upon cbaCgs of steal- .Dga watch. Holding the sbrrtive writ irg close 70 tLe light ant peerlng ct t through his zpectacies, he b8551n his examination: Iudgs--''YTeiI, Tsaness, your name is John Tompkins. Wit less-"4ly lord, ny nsma ig @s5 lay or" Judge-''AL! ags ya1 are Q sailor and you live in sAe Rev Gut, Witness-''No my lord; Hive at Wap- ping. JudEe-"NaTsg mind your being cut shoPpsaE. Had you your watch in your pocket ca the 10th Of EoyemberY' Nit1ess-'I never had but one ticker, hay lord, and that has been at the pawn-shop for the lGst six months" Judge-"Who asked you how long you had the watch? Why csn't yeu say yes or no? Well, did you zee the pTissner at the barP Witness Gn g -eea& tsle sf voice, for he began to be lS-sis eeQiused by the questions put to hka) -''Yes; of course l did. '' Jgdge-'That's right, my man, speak up and answer shortly. Did the pri5- oner taks your watch?' Witness Gin Q still louder tone)-'I don't know what you're driving ct. How could he get it without the ticket and that hsd Iefs with the missus?n 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 @ look ot disgust. At last ho threw down the dispositions to an elderly counsel who was seated st the barrister's table, and said: ''Air. Ryland, I wish you would take this witness in hand and see whether you can make any thing of him. for ] can l." Now Byland had been dining at the three O clock din- ner, too, and he was never behindhand in doing honor to the civic hospitality. Ho stood up, stared ferociously (for be had couRtenance that could do it to Perfection) at the unlucly wit ness, and, turning round and looking up at the bench, observed: My Lord, it is my profound belief that this man is drunk. its 6 remarkable coin cidence, GGr. RyIand, " said the judge, that is precisely the idea that has been in my mind tor the last ten min utes. l. is disgraceful that witnesses should come into a sacred court Of justice like this in such state of in tOxication." " Then, leaning over his desk to the deputy clerk of arraigns. who was seated below him, he said: MT. DIoseIy, don't allow this witness ore farthilg Of expenses. I'll put Q stop to this scandal if [ can" l need hardly say that the source of the mis- take was discovered and the witness got his expenses in the end. Sergeant EoLiuson's Bench and Bar,