The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1901-11-20
A Tennessee
TrialS5N
How Judge Excused Himself
For Discharging II Prisoner.

raised.
II must have been about midnight
when Il sound Mt the window awolte
me, and get out of bed to see what
was thc matter 1t did not take long
to discover that some one WAS planning
surprise Tor me. \ man had climbed
the tree and from a handy branch had
thrust oft plank to reach the sill of
the window. 1t was the end OF the
plank dropping ON the sill which arous-
ed me.
stood back little to watch, and
presently the fellow, whose color
could not determine, started to creep
along the plank | didn't know exactly
what to do at first but finally decided
To give him IL fall instead of II bullet
Waiting until he was midway between
the window and the tree. | gave the
end Of tie plank shove, and down he
went. yelling In alright as lie found
himself going. He had scarcely struck
the ground when some one seized him
The house was alarmed, everybody
turned out, and when got down the
owner of the house was standing guard
over the man and saying:
"%aW. then, Jim Hivcrs, you un has
got yo self into a powerful FUSS You
un has been tryin' to git inter my cab
in in the nighttime to rob the stranger,
an II you doan' dance high fur It |
doan' want no mo meat"
Wasn't a-tryln' to git in," sulkily
replied Jim.
'Then what was you I'M doln'T'
"Arter apples"
carter apples which hain't as big as
shucks at this time o y'ar. Jim. yo' is
bad-bad all the way up an down. I've
knowed It fur vars, an I've knowed
that yo' would get cotched some day.
The cotchin' has arr0ye"
"Cawn't prove It ag'in me-" calmly
observed the prisoner
You III Just wait! I'm gwine to tie
20 up I'll. daylight and then take yo'
befo' Squar' Taylor"
Jess meant to look in the winder."
explained Jim, who was evidently be-
ginning to be alarmed
"Oh, yes, We understand Now you
un come along to the smokehouse an
doan try any tricks ON me-!
Next morning he was regularly ar
rested on warrant charging him with
intent to enter and rob. The examina
tion took place In the schoolhouse, and
the Justice conducted II without any
lawyers to bother. Wien Jim was
asked to plead. he replied;
Il jess didn't dun 1t. an I'll stick to
my fat If yo' hing met
"Then I'll enter plea Of not guilty"
said his honor, and he asked me to
take the stand. | testified as related
above, but all was not smooth sailing
When | stated that ! was aroused by
noise. Jim put In
He uu doan' dun say what sort Of
noise, squar' Thar's mo than fifty
kinds OF noises, an he uns got to come
right down fine"
When | said that looked out OF the
window and saw man In the tree, he
interrupted with
"Squar' Taylor. IL you un gwlne to
put that down ag'ln me? Thars yar'us
sorts o men. How does he un know 1t
wasn't niger? Pin him right down.
squar'."
Couldn't bin no niger, nohow," said
his honor. Couldn't been nobody but
yous, kase yous the one cotched"
When I testified to pushing the end
OF the plank off the sill, Jim looked
done up for minute. Then bright
idea came, and he exclaimed:
Hold he un down, squar'. lie says
In IL
What sort o wood? Who did 1t belong
to? Doan' give he un no high ground
over me kase he looks peart."
The owner OF the house testified to
having been disturbed by strange
noise, and he had just gone TO the door
when Jim fell from the tree.
"Shore 1t was me?" asked Jim.
"Of co'se."
"Doan' reckon 1t was anybody elseT
Couldn't bin, kase l grabbed It,"
Better be keerful! You's on oath!
What did say"
Said you un was arter apples"
Put that down plain, squar'. Apples
isn't as big as beans yit, an If was
arter apples 1t proves insanity. That's
one for me"
When he took the stand In his own
defense, he was asked:
Prisoner, what Is your nameY
What you drivin' at, Squar' Taylorf
Amt no use to menshun any names an
git up a great fuss in de papers. Jess
go right along steady"
Are you q resident of this village,
county and statef"
Jess h'ar him! Squar' Taylor. that
haIn't no law. That's only foolin'
around, jess like man lookin' up
coon tree when the coon is somewhat
else
What is your occIpation;" contin-
ued the squire.
Say, squar'," exclaimed Jim as he
arose and pounded on the desk, this
hain't no case whar' somebody stole
hog. This is case whar' niger
climbed tree to rob white man In
house, an it's got to 20 cordin' to law
or I'll draw right out"
Jim" replied the justice after some
reflection, you Tin was up that tree"
81 dun deny it,
you I'm reckoned TO git in that win
der"