Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 July 1883 — A Scene in Court. [ARTICLE]

A Scene in Court.

A few years since a man of high respectability was tried on the charge of forging a will, in which it was discovered he had an indirect interest to a large amount. Samuel Warren, the celebrated author of the “Diary of a Physician,” etc., was associated with the prosecuting attorney, and the case was tried before Lord Denman. The prisoner being arraigned, and the formalities gone through with, the prosecutor, placing his thumb over the seal, held up the will and demanded of the prisoner if he had seen the testator sign the instrument; to which he promptly answered he had. “And did you sign it at his request as subscribing witness?* “I did.” “Was it sealed with red or black wax?” “With red wax.” “Did you see. him seal it with red wax?” “I did.” “Where was the testator when he signed and sealed this will?” “In his bed.” “Pray, how long a piece of wax did he use?” “About three or four inches long.”< “Who gave testator this piece of wax?” “I did.” “Where did you get it?” “From the drawer of his desk.” “How did you light that piece of wax?” “With a candle. ” “Where did that candle come from?” “I got it out of a cupboard in his room.” “How long was that piece of candle?” “Perhaps four or five inches long.” “Who lit that piece of candle ?” ‘.‘l lit it.” “With what?” “With a match.” “Where did you get that match ?” “On the mantel-shelf in the room.” Here Warren paused and fixed his large, deep blue., eyes upon the prisoner. He held the will up above his head, his thumb still resting on the seal, and said, in a solemn, measured tone: “Now, sir, upon your solemn oath, you saw testator sign that will—he signed it in his bed—at his request you signed it as a subscribing witness—you saw him seal it—with red wax—a piece of wax, two, three, or four inches long; he lit that wax with a piece of candle, which you produced for him from a cupboard; you lit that candle by a match which you found on the mantelshelf?” “I did.” “Once more, sir, upon your solemn oath, y.ou did?” “I did!” “My Lord,” exclaimed the triumphant attorney, “it’s a wafer!”'