18. SCAN. MAG.
Patrick McFadgin found himself indicted in the Circuit
Court of Pickens County, for indulging in sundry Hibernian
pastimes, whereby his superflux of animal and ardent
spirits exercised themselves and his shillaly, to the annoyance
of the good and peaceable citizens and burghers of the
village of Pickensville, at to wit, in said county.
One Squire Furkisson was a witness against the afore
said Patrick, and, upon his evidence chiefly, the said McFadgin
was convicted on three several indictments for testing
the strength of his shillaly on the craniums of as many citizens;
albeit, Patrick vehemently protested that he was only
in fun, “and afther running a rig on the boys for amusement,
on a sportive occasion of being married to a female woman
—his prisint wife.”
A more serious case was now coming up against Pat, having
its origin in his drawing and attempting to fire a pistol,
loaded with powder and three leaden bullets, which pistol
the said Patrick in his right hand then and there held, with
intent one Bodley then and there to kill and murder contrary
to the form of the statute (it being highly penal to murder
a man in Alabama contrary to the form of the statute).
To this indictment Patrick pleaded “Not guilty,” and,
the jury being in the box, the State's Solicitor proceeded to
call Mr. Furkisson as a witness. With the utmost innocence,
Patrick turned his face to the Court and said, “Do I understand
yer Honor that Misther Furkisson is to be a witness
fornent me agin?” The judge said dryly, it seemed so.
“Well, thin, yer Honor, I plade guilty sure, an' ef yer
Honor plase, not becase I am guilty, for I'm as innocent as
yer Honor's sucking babe at the brist—but jist on the account
of saving Misther Furkisson's sowl.”
