"DOWN" ON A GOOD TEMPLAR.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3661, 9 April 1883, Page 4

"DOWN" ON A GOOD TEMPLAR.

One of the comical interludes in criminal trials, which come in like si joke at a funeral, caused grim amusement at _ the Supreme Court yesterday (says tho AVellington Times of the sth inst.) An oldish man named Edward Price, alias George Pearce, was indicted for passing a valueless cheque on a clothier at Carterton.

Prisoner (before the jury were sworn to "well and truly try ") asked Judge Richmond if he might challenge hotelkeepers. Judge: Yes : you have twelve challenges, and nobody will ask your reasons for chal-

lenging. Prisoner: But lioav am Ito know if he is an hotelkeeper:" I know an hotclkecpcr won't give a Good Templar the slightest — Judge : You will have to judge for yourself. But you don't mean to say the whole race of hotelkeepers have a " down " ou you 'i Prisoner: They're generally down upon Good Templars. Judge: Oh, you are a Good Templar (laughing heartily) ; you will know the look of an hotelkeeper, I suppose. Jurors Avere then sworn one by one, and the prisoner scrutinised each juror -as ho passed to the box. A commission agent, who is well known to be a Good Templar was first objected to by the prisoner, Avho seemed to distrust also the temperance brotherhood. Then a stoutish juror stood up for challenge, and was looked over suspiciously on account of his stoutness ; but the juror's face seemed hardly rosy enough for an hotelkeeper, and the prisoner let him pass as a doubtful party. The twelve jurors were nearly complete, Avhen another stoutish party stood up for challenge, carrying an umbrella, and being a little flushed in'the face, as hotelkeepers are apt to be from causes bevoud their control.

Prisoner (sharply) keeper 'i Suspected juror said nothing, but looked inside his hat and then looked toAvards the Good Templar in the dock. Prisoner: Because if you are an hotel - keeper, I object to you (shak : ng his head at him). That suspected juror hud to stand aside, and tAvelve "good men and true " being made up without an hotelkeeper, so far sis the Good Templar iv the dock could detect outward and visible signs of hotelkeepers' ■ijialicc prepense, the jury were duly sworn, and the trial of the Good Templar proceeded— with the result that he got three years' pemd servitude.

Are you an hotel-