Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 May 1896 — A Valuable Witness. [ARTICLE]

A Valuable Witness.

At a recent trial before a New York Judge, it wus 'tlioiight important by the counsel to determine the length of time certain “two quarters of beef, two hogs and one sheep” remained in an express wagpn in front of the plaintiff's store before they were taken away by the defendant. The witness was a German, whose knowledge of English was very limited, but he testified in a very plain, straightforward way to having carried it out and put it into the aforesaid wagon. Then the following dialogue ensued: “State to the jury how long ft was after you took the meat friom the store and pot it into the wagon before it was faTcena way;* , 'saidthc counsel; “Now, I cannot tell dot,” replied the witness. “I dinks ’bout dwelve feet. I not say near as dab” , . “You don’t understand me. How long was it from, the time the meat left the store, and was put in the wagon, before it was taken away by the defendant?” “Now, I know not vat you ask dat for. Der vagon he vas back up mit der siiWnifc- and tint’s shoost as it vas. You dell me how long der sidevaik vas. Den feet? Dwelve feet? Den I dells' how long it vas.” “I don’t want to find out how long the sidewalk was, but I want to know (speaking very slowly) hoW long this meat was in the wagon before it was taken away?” “Oh. dati Veil, now, I not sold any more meat so. I all time weigh him; never measure meat, not yet. But 1 dinks ’bout dree feet.” (Here the spectators and his honor and the jury smiled audibly). “I know not.shentlemans, how is dis; I dell you all I can as good ■■tmrl.isaam”--, “Look here, I want to know how long it was before the meat was taken away, after it was put into the wagon?” “Now you try to get me in a scrape,” the witness replied, looking very knowingly at the counsel. “Dat meat vas shoost so long in der vagon as he vas in der shop. Dot’s all I told you. Dat meat vas dead meat. He don’t get mooch longer in den dousand year, not mooch.” . “That will do.”