AMENITIES OF THE WITNESS BOX.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 158, 22 September 1883, Page 3

AMENITIES OF THE WITNESS BOX.

; When gdpd : ol&j3^ffii ' gets into ;a ; .sisfieß#bi>&' jmpftti people; ;e^q|,)lopae.tliing '■$$$$*$. ihave -a lively ,recolleotiou of " IponaclasV'! and

Ms advanced views. Apparently Mr Hudson Williamson, ;the Grown Prosecutor, was one of these* ■ When he put Jeffs in the box as a witness in the • application to register an, order for Mwsl^her'stmaiatenarioe against * block of land, Jeffs, always with i,an eye to business, was afflicted with a curiosity to know who was to pay his " expenses." , Considering that Jeffs, had not up to that moment incurred any outlay that could be detected even with the aid of a microscope, the Court wisely considered that the question might be deferred.

Then ensued the following lively colloqtiy : — Mr Williamson : Mr Jeffs'; I believe that you do not believe in. a God ?— Witness : Mr Williamson, I am really not responsible for your belief.-— Mr W. : I want yon to tell me, do you believe in a God?— Witnes s: L decline to answer the question; . I have not been sworn to give any evidence, andj in the second place, I have not come here to. debate theology or doctrinal, matters. I have merely come to give evidence in the case of Fisher v. Fisher.— Mr >W. : Well, I will put it in another form. What do you expect in the event of. your not speaking the truth ?— Witness : I really : don't know any more than this : I have come here to take an oath, or make a solemn declaration or affirmation, or anything that the Court may require. I know the value of the truth, and shall abide by, it.— Mr W. ; But what would be the consequence if you do not tell the truth ?— Witness (glancing at the Bench) i His Honor, in all .probability, will w&fcoli the case, and commit me for perjury if I wilfully give false evidence.— At this Btage the Court interposed, and Mr Jeffs was sworn in due course. The Crown Prosecutor never succeeded in getting a grip of that Iconoclastic eel.