A Straightforward Witness.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4378, 15 January 1883, Page 4

A Straightforward Witness.

.During a recent trial it was thought ini'l portant by counsel to determine the length of time that a certain quarter of beef . .remained in an express waggon in, front of plaintiff's store before it was t&keri by f defendant. -The witness under examination was a German, whose knowledge of y. English was limited, but he testified in a very plain, straightforward way to, having weighed- the meat, and to having, 'afterwards carried it out and put it into the wagon. Then the-following ensued,: " State to the jury how long it was after you took the meat'from the* store and put in the wagon before it was taken away." V Now I shoost cand dell dat. X. dinks 'bout dwelve feet. I say no nearer as dat," , : ■—'* You don't understand me.' How long was it from the time the meat left the store and wan put into the wagon before it w»s taken away by the defendant ? " j- ■" Ifow I know not what you ax dat for. ' £>er wagon he was back up mit dat side- ■ walk'jl and'dat's shoost so long as it was, You' dell me how long der sidewalk was. Den feeU-Dwelve feet? "Den I dells you how it was." "I don't want to find out how wide the sidewalk was, but I want to know," ""speaking very slowly, " how.—long—this • meat—was—in — the—wagon—before—it . —was^-taken—away ?" >'.* SlQh, dat! Veil, now, I not sold my meat so.< I all time weigh him ; never measure meat, not yet. But I dinks about dree foet. I know not, 3hor>tlc» meDB, liow is dis. I -tell you all I can, shoost so goad.as I know." " Look here, 1 want to know how long .it,, was before the meat was taken away ■ Jattev"\t wrftfput in the wagon? "■ p' .'•i Sow you dry and get me in some scrapes. Dat moat.twas shoost so long in der wagon as he was in der shop. Dats vot I^oldjypu;,' Dat ( n»e»t vas'dead meat. He don't' got' no" longier "in ''den'douscn year, not mooch.', "That will do.".