THISLTEDOWN.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1288, 5 November 1886, Page 3

THISLTEDOWN.

i [By tbe Chikl.] i —, r No. V-COUET DAY-INSIDE, * Dinner over—at the hour appdinted we ' are on the spot again, but a telegram has 1 been received from “ his worship ”to the 1 effect that he is unavoidably detained, and ' though somewhat disappointed, we take 1 up our positions in Court. There are two local justices on the Bench, and judging from appearances they should be quite able to do all ’the duty required of them. The Clerk has taken his position, and looks in readiness to commence operations, and the eoastable ever active acts as Court crier for the occasion. The Press is represented by two persons, who with paper before them, and pencils in hand, look prepared to readily seize on every scrap of news in the rich harvest before them. The Court House is fairly well filled, and our friend the constable seems to have both eyes open to business, and turning round in order to get a ' full view of the people, espies one of the Councillors who bag just entered the bnilding and has not yet had time to get safely seated or remove his hat. “Take off your hat,” comes forth from the officer of the law, and immediately the municipality is represented by a bare head. There is the parson, schoolmaster, and everybody of position and influence present, but there is an absence of legal profession, and perhaps it is as well rfiat there is, for undoubtedly much of the fun would be lost where any one other than the parties concerned had the conducting and defending of the cases to be tried before this tribunal of justice. Whatever little inconvenience* we may have been put to in order to be present were amply repaid even in the first case set down for hearing. “Murray against Brown,” says the Chairman of the Bench. “Murray and Brown,” echos the constable standing near the door, and at the words two farmer-like looking fellows advance to the clerk’s table and range themselves one on each side of the policeman, Murray is a long, lank, lean individual, about 6ft high, and looking very sheepish. Brown I should take to be |in height about 4ft Sin. He is an active little fellow when in motion, but on account of wearing heavy boots makes quite a clatter as an accompaniment to bis activity. He has the misfortune of being slightly deaf, and stands ereot with a blank stare upon his countenance. The Clerk reads tho charge against him. which i« that hj? is indebted to the plaintifffor labour done, and he is asked to plea 1, and innocently replica not guilty. Plaintiff is then requested to state his case, which he finds to be no easy task. He, however, manages to get through it somehow. It is embellished with no fine words or choice expressions; there is no oratorical display or show of logical reasoning, bnt a plain, rough, disconnected statement, from which it would appear that the defendant offered him wages at the rate of LI a week and board, and that be did not pay him the amount, and he now sought recovery. After ha had made out his ease. Brown informs the Bench thnt “he is hard o’ earls,” and is then allowed to stand up quite close to Murray and gazi mechanically into hia face, whilst he again, at the order of the Bench, repeats hia tale of woe. Not a muscle of Brown’s face sa seen to move during this performance, but at the conclusion it is quite evident that he has heard this time, and understands now the very grave charge preferred against him, and when permission is granted him by the Bench to question the plaintiff, in a voice calmly terrible, and indicating the spirit of . fancied superiority, he interrogates thusly ; : “Are you not aware that everything yon ; have just Mated is perfectly false f ” “Ox no! oh, no,” comes as a duct from the Bedch, “we can’t admit a question Ike I that,” but Murray’doesn’t know that it is false though, and this professed innocence on Murray’s part is rather too much for the little man, and he again breaks the silence of the Court and creates a laugh by saying, “Why, John, your own sister takes yon for a fool, and I’m sure I wouldn’t doubt it ■ at all.”

Murray has, however, no one to substm tiate his case, and Brown’s version throws quite a different light on the subject, but 1 am of the 'opinion that tire light was a trifle browner than it should have l>een, and answered the purpose of keepin.' the Bench in the dark about the truth of the case ; but the little fellow is well home out in hia statements by bis wife (the lady described in No. 4of Thistledown). She is a female whose character as it was presented in the Court on that day might he aocurs ately described by words free, hold, and /earless As she take* the proffered bible from the hand of the gentlemanly clerk with a surprising alacrity at his bidding, she implants upon the cover a ringing kiss becoming her womanhood, and which does not savour at all of the hypocrisy of some females in such a matter as kissing. Her fearless appearance was maintained the whole of the time whilst giving her evidence, which in a great measure Tesembied that of her husband, varying only in respect ot a few dates mixed up in the evidencebut how can a woman be supposed to remember dates, or what humane J.P. would expect her to render her account correctly. At the conclusion of her evidence she • ’em* to be very much pleased with herself, and we can hardly wond:;r at this when we observe how exultingly »he is gased at by her husband. Alas 1 that we are utterly unconscious of the thrill of emotion that must have pa .sed through his frame as he beheld the look of supreme satisfaction pass over the face of bis angel of domestic happiness.

Having tbna the consciousness of victory, unabashed she answers the few questions put to her by the plaintiff, and concluding assures the bench that if they are not pre pared to accept her statements as being perfectly true, she ha* another witness who wiil tcii precisely the same tale. They are, however, occupied at present inspecting some bills that have been banded in by Murray and Blown, and do not heed her remark ;_but she persists, because the is in the right, and repeats her statement. But, though unsuccessful in gaining the attention of the bench, she succeeds in taxing the patience, and rousing the ire of the clerk, who calls the attention of the bench to the irregularity of this witness’ action, and ascertaining that she is done with for the time least, orders her to “stand down,” 7his has the effect of quieting her, and she takes her scat very much crestfallen, conscious of being sat upon by the oleik after her brilliant victory. After a little more evidence, a little more talk, and a consultation by the bench the case is dismissed, Murrray having failed to prove his case against the defendant. The case of our poor friend Frank James is the next on the list, the same uneasiness as marked his conduct during the morning is observable through the sitting of the court, but in answer to his name he is on his feet' instantly, and taking bis stand as a {criminal, he returns “ not guilty” in answer to the charge against him. The constable, in a few words telli how this man, whilst under “ the controlling Influence o! drink,” was being taken home by his eldest son, but seemed rather in* clined not to go. Wanting to do the follow

a good turn instead of “ running him in” for being drank, be advised him to “ get along home quietly,” or else he would get into trouble— l presume he meant into the loch up. The inebriated one, however, treated this kindness on his part with contempt and base ingratitude, and amused himself by indulging in some of the most abusive language towards him. No witnesses are called nor doe* the guilty Frank attempt to deny the charge otherwise than by frankly telling the bench that he is persecuted. This policeman has a down upon him. He has lived in the district for eighteen years, and was never in the court or lock up until this policeman came to the place, and he has taken “ a set against him,” and has him up before the court on the slightest pretext. This is all he has to say for himself, and he seems to imagine that it has created a favorable imnression for his good upon the bench, for when the penalty “fined 20s” is announced, rej ticing that his life is still is own, and that it is not L 5 or a month he hears, he lays -'own his note, and sweetly smi'ing bids the court a long farewell. The next oa-e, MoCa-thy v McMahon, is a very complicated aff nr, and arises out of some mining arrangement or disarrangement. It appears that the two Maes are partners' in a claim, and that they can’t divide the gold peacahly or jnst'v in proportion to the labor each does. Thov are wise enough though 'o seek no assistance from lawyers, who may bp tempted to claim th-ir share pf the spoil, and the bench admit their inability to do so, and inform the daintiff that he mast institute other means or recovery. -

This oa«e was not without its sparkle of amusement, for in the course of his remarks McCarthy, by mistake, us°d tho word assay in place of receipt, when McMahon, thinking that be could see a case of most wilful and corrupt perjury, breaks in with “ Aye ! are yon on your oath?” Then turning to the e'erk eon’imies, “ swear that man ; ” then back to tho plaifttiffagain with “ when did I show yon the as«ay of the gold ?” “ I mean the receipt for tha gold sold” quistly replies McCarthy, and the ludicrous -ids of this.bit of performance quite «p»ets the solemnity of the court, and give! rue to something louder than a titter.