BY THE CLOCK.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVII, Issue XVI, 17 October 1896, Page 507

BY THE CLOCK.

A CASE was being tried in a country court. A horse had been stolen from a pasture, and the evidence all pointed to a certain doubtful character of the neighbourhood as the culprit. Though his guilt seemed clear, he had found a lawyer to undertake his defence. At the trial the defendant’s attorney expended his energy in trying to confuse and frighten the opposing witnesses, especially a certain farmer whose testimony was particularly damaging. The lawyer kept up a fire of questions, asking many foolish ones, and repeating himself again and again, in the hope of decoying the witness into a contradiction. • You say,’ the lawyer went on, ‘ that you can swear to having seen this man drive a horse past your farm on the day in question ?’ • I can,’ replied the witness, wearily, for he had already answered the question a dozen times. • What time was this ?’ • I told you it was about the middle of the forenoon.’ ‘ But I don’t want any “ abouts ” or any “ middles ” ; I want you to tell the jury exactly the time.’ ‘ Why,’ said the farmer, ‘ I don’t always carry a gold watch with me when I’m digging potatoes.’ • But you have a clock in the house, haven’t you ?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘ Well, what time was it by that ?’ • Why, by that clock it was just nineteen minutes past ten.’ ‘You were in the field all the morning ?’ went on the lawyer, smiling suggestively. •I was.’ ‘ How far from the house is this field ?’ ‘ About half a mile.’ ‘You swear, do you, that by the clock in your house it was exactly nineteen minutes past ten ?’ • I do.’

The lawyer paused, and looked triumphantly at the jury ; at last he had entrapped the witness into a contradictory statement that would greatly weaken his testimony. * I think that will do,’ he said, with a wave of his hand. ‘I am quite through with you.’ The farmer leisurely picked up his hat, and started to leave the witness stand ; then turning slowly about he added, 'I ought perhaps to say that too much reliance should not be placed upon that clock, as it got out of gear about six months ago, and it’s been nineteen minutes past ten ever since.’