A WRATHFUL WITNESS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 12 July 1880, Page 2

A WRATHFUL WITNESS.

In the majority of cases, theatrical representations of trials in Court a*e, of course, greatly exaggerated (saya the Wellington Post), but occasionally scenes are enacted within the walls of our Courts of Justice which, in point of honor, scarcely find a parallel on the histrionic stage. A scene of this description occurred yesterday afternoon, during the hearing of a case concerning an alleged wrongful detention of goods, and the proceedings then witnessed were such as to> convulse the whole of the spectators witht uncontrollable laughter. In this case Mr., English, the tailor, was a witness, and it. was while he was under cross-examinatiom at the hands of Mr. Forwood, counsel for 1 the defence, that the fun began. It appeared that formerly Mr. English and tho> defendant (Mr. Bilton) had some business; transactions together, of whioh Mr. English's recollections were of anything but a. pleasant character. Mr. Forwood commenced the attack somewhat after thisi style—"l believe you have recently gone> through the Insolvency Court?" The* question instantly struck a chord in the> breast of the witness, who promptly replied, "Yes, I have, thanks to that, scoundrel (pointing to the defendant); If it had not been for him I should be! occupying a good position to-day, instead of being in poor circumstances. I can't, imagine how he dare look me in the face. If I could only get at him ." Thei witness was not allowed to say what; dreadful calamity would ensue if such an opportunity were presented, being called to order by the Magistrate. " I believe,"' continued Mr. Forwood, "it was youi who introduced the plaintiff to this villain, as you call the defendant, andi that yeu were to have a share of the profits from the transaction V' " Villain L™ echoed the witness, eagerly accepting the term, "that's just what ho is you have given him, his right name. He's worse than that, the ." Here the witness was again interrupted by his Worship, and the conclusion of the sentence was lost in a torrent of unintelligible words resembling the soundi of distant thunder. Seeing that Mr.. English showed no signs of moderating his language, Mr. Forwood wisely re-* frained from further interrogating him j and the witness, after violently shaking his hat in the defendant's, face, wasi allowed to stand down.