A PRISONER EXPLAINS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXI, Issue 171, 13 July 1895, Page 3

A PRISONER EXPLAINS.

The proposed reform of patting pr'soners upon their oath and letting them speak for themselves recommends itself m many ways to common Bense, but has, nevertheless, serious disadvantages, says a writer m an English periodical. A good deal of lattitude must be allowed to the members oi a class wholly unaccustomed to public speaking,, and whose ordinary language is more familiar than polite A reporter on the Midland Circuit has preserved for us a choice c ample of oratory oi this kind. The case was that of a man charged with attempt to murder, before Lord Wenslejdale, one of the graveet of judges, who had permitted him, after the prosecution closed, to address the jury : "My Lord and gentlemen of the jury, you see as how I'm what is called a peaceable man, and was taking my drink quietly, as a man should do, when up comes this here prosecutor, and says he, I'll have a sup of ymrbeer.' 1 No, 1 says I, you fha'n't !' ' I will !' says he. • Iben,' says I, •if you touoh this 'ere mug of beer, I'll smash it on your blessed headj This 'ere man did take hold of my beer, and he got a knock on the head, but it were bis own fault, as, gentle* men, why should he ha' provoked a man quietly a drinking of his beer ? Now, my Lord" (turning to the judge) "I'm sure you likes a drop of good beer, don't yer, my Lord ? Well, then, my Lord, if your Lordship had a pit o' beer afore you at this moment, and that 'ere ohap as is a-sitt-ing aside of yer" (turning to the High Sheriff) " should say. says he, " I'll take a sup o' yer beer," and you said to him, says you, " If yer touoh this 'ere beer, I'll punch yer blessed ribs !" In course yer would. (Boars of laughter). " Now, my Lord, I've been called a quarrelsome man ; that's a downright falsity, look here, it ain't likely I can be a quarrelsome man when I been bound over twenty three times to keep the blessed peioe !"