AN ACCOMMODATING WITNESS.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2993, 18 September 1878, Page 3

AN ACCOMMODATING WITNESS.

In an assault and battery case'tried be-, fore Justice Moses a day or two since, a Mexican Was a witness. The business proceeded as follows :— Judge: You speak English, do yon not? , Witness: Yes sir. Judge s Well, you will please go on and tell what you know of the assault made by this man upon this woman. Witness 1: Yes, sir.

Attorney: Y6 onderstand, sor, that ye are to go on and shtate to the coort and jury phwat ye know about this case-—in yer own language.' Dye onderstand P Witness: Yei, sir, I understand perfectly well., You want me to tell the story in my own language. Attorney': Exactly. Proceed, sor. Witness; Este mojare yen a mi la caso

Attorney t Phwat dye soy P Witnesai Este hombre tombien-——

Attorney s Ph*M& is that ye are saying ? Phwat did the iattti do—phwat did he BftyP »■ • - - • • Witness' t Aqui, senora, to quere habia uste— — "" • ' Attorney (growing red' in the face) : "Phwafc are ye jabberin'—ltalian, Dutch, or phwat P Witness: I am speaking 1 in my own language, sir, as you requested me to do —I am a Spaniard, sir. Attorney: I, didn't v mane for yer to ghpake yer own language when I said for ye to shpake yer own language. Ye can Bhpake to me as I'm shpakin; to ye, can't ye? '.. " Witness: I can try. sir. Attorney: Well, thin, thry, sor. Shtate to the Coort and the jury phwat ye know of the assault. Witness : Well, thia, yer Honour, this man. and this woman kern to me house, and sez.tho man to the woman, sea he, I want to "shpake wid ye, sez.-^— Attorney: Phwat do ye mam, sor, by ■hpaking in that way ? . Witness: Sure, sor, ye axed me to ■hpake in' the language ye use yerself, sor, an' I'm after thryin' to oblesge — Attorney: X'don't want any such language as that from ye, sor. I ——. Judge: Proceed in English, please, with what you saw of the'affair. Witness: With pleasure, sir. I should have done so at first, but. the teanied counsel seemed rather particular in regard to the language in which he wished me to give evidence. . ' As the witness proceeded with his story the attorney sat mopping his brow with his bandanna, and scowling black as a thundercloud on all, iv the room.—Virginia Enterprise.

Disturbing the Grave,—rMaking a sober man laugh.