The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-02-06
Trial by Jury
BY MARTHA ". MONROE
Copyright. 1911. by American Press
Copyright. 1911, by American Press
Association.

oh Nose Harkins. De persecutin' at.
to'ney mus do eberything he kin to
conflict yo,' an yo' lawyer what de
cot glib yo' has got to do eberything
he kin to get 70 off. Mr.. Persecutin'
Attorney, open de case"
The prosecuting attorney rose and
said:
"Jim Turnlee, wha' TO yo' kill Nose
Harkins?'
II didn't kill Nose Harkins," replied
the accused, much excited.
Eyes, yo' did; yo' know yo' did"
Turning to the court: I'VE shall prove,
yo' honah, dat de prisoner done de
deed wild malice afterthought, on de
mawnin' he heered a rooster CROWN
an he dreamed OBJ fried chicken TO-
breakfast. Wild blood In he eye, he
got up an went to de fam OBJ Nose
Harkins, opened de henhouse do
went in an grab a chicken by de leg.
De squawkin' reused Nose Harkins. He
got out OBJ bed, frowed up de winder
an looked out. De dawn was break
in, an Jim Turnlee, he bein' inside
de henhouse, didn't see Nose lookin'
out OBJ de winde'; but, hearin' de winde'
go up, he staid in de henhouse to
hide. Nose go way from de winde'
an git he shotgun an shoot into de
henhouse Den Jim he shot, too an
Nose drop back daid. Dat am de cir
cumstantiaIs OBJ de case. Jim Turnlee
he done de murder, an IL he counsel
prove to de contrary de jury won't
beliebe inn
The state attorney sat down, and
the counsel for the defense arose.
"Jim Turnleer' he said savagely.
The prisoner started.
"Wha' yo' lookin' wild out oh dem
eyes OBJ yourn To-? Yo' hain't gwine to
fight regiment OBJ wildcats; yo' gwine
to prove dat you didn't kill Nose Har
kins."
If this was intended to restore the
prisoners equanimity it failed. Jim
looked more than ever as il he must
defend himself by killing the judge,
jury and spectators. His counsel pro
ceeded:
''Jim Turnlee, tell de Get wha' yO'
were on de mawnin' dat Nose Har
kins was killed"
Il was in ma bed"
"What was yo' dom In bedT
"Sleepin'"
Hold on dah," interposed the pros.
ecutor. IF yo' was asleep how do
yo' know wha' yo' We're? Might "a been
stealth chickens"
The prisoner looked ready to break
and rum
"Yo' honah," said counsel for de.
Tense, "de gentlemen said in de open.
in argyfyer dat ma client was dream.
In oh fried chicken TO- breakfast
How he know wha' ma client was
dreamin' bout, / like to know? An
de prosecutor said dat Jim was in de
henhouse. II Jim was in de henhouse,
how did Nose know it was Jim what
shot him.
Il didn't say Nose said Jim shot
him. Nose was daid ennyhow."
How yo' gwine to prove dat de mig
ger in de henhouse was Jim?"
How / gwine to prove datT'
Eyes. How yo' gwine to prove datY
"Yo' honah, hab 1 got to prove twas
Jim in de henhouse when Nose was
killed."
The judge looked puzzled and final
ly said:
Nose was killed, wasn't he?"
"Sartin, sure"
can niger in de henhouse shot
himT'
"Yes, judge"
Den since Jim hearn de rooster
crow an dreamed OBJ fried chicken
TO breakfast de 'pinion OBJ de cot is |
dat Jim got up an went to de hen
house fo' TO git chicken. OATS wha'
cherry Niger would "a done. An II
Jim was in de henhouse when Nose
shot in dar berry likely Jim shot back
Ennyhow. | would If I'd a. been dar
20 bet"
Much 'bliged, yo honah, 10 gibin
me ma line Of argufyin'. De groun
on which ma client stands is self de. |
Tense"
How yo' make dat out?" asked the
prosecutor.
EFF a niger was shootin' at 20 |
wouldn't yo' shoot baek?"
"Yes-no."
II leabe 1t to de gentlemen OBJ de jury
If dey was in henhouse stealth chick. /
ems an de owner OBJ de chickens was
shootin at EN- wouldn't dey shoot !
backT"
The jury consulted, and finally the
foreman gave their reply.
Ode jury thinks dat If dey was in de
henhouse an Nose Harkins was shoot.
I'm at 'em dey wouldn't need to shoot
back. 'cose Nose couldn't hit a ban"
This decision was quite backset for
the defense, but the prisoners counsel
was equal to the occasion.
''Yo' honsh," he said, "ef Nose could
MT hit a BAN how cum de use oh Jim's
shootin' back?"
At this juncture the widow of the
murdered man came into court with
some very special evidence, as was In
dicated by the expression on her face.
1t was this:
MA husban, hearin' some one in de
chicken house. got up an got de gun
70 to shoot But it was so da'k, jedge,
in de room dat he got de wrong end
oh de gun agin de stomick. an when