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Southland Times, Issue 668, 10 May 1867, Page 2

'Fsw Btories relating to witnesses are more laughable than. that which describes the mathematical process ' by which Mr Baron Perrot arrived at the value of, certain conflicting evidence. " G-entlemen of the jury," : this Judge:is : reported 1 to have said, in summing ujrthe "evidence in a trial .where the witnesses had sworn with noble tenacity of purpose, " there, are .fifteen fitnesses who swear that the watef-cburse > used to 'flow in a ditch on the north side of the hedge. On the other ..hand, gentlemen, there are nine witnesses who swear that the water-course' used to flow on the south side of the hedge. ,'Now, gentlemen, if you subtract nine from fifteen, there remain six . witnesß wholly uncontradicted ; and I recommend you to give your verdictfor the party who called these cix witnesses.*' This process, however, was hardly :as clever as ' that of the Irish prisoner accused of stealing a shirt from a hedge. " Here are three people who saw you take it," said the magistrate. "Bad luck to them !" exclaimed Prudheen, "I , can . bring six hbnester ' people who'll swear they didn't sco mr iake it." Why is a thief your only true philosopher? Because he regards everything from an abe tract point of'viewi is opposed to) all. notions, of pi Q^ ' : tecjion, and. ia open to conviptioii, „.: . ;-} „.;> „.v . t