He claimed that this defence under the
purchase from Hall, was perfect in itself.
His defence of Bullock from the attack on him, was forcible and
beautiful. The old man was a hunter, had been a soldier, etc., and the
unforgotten Indian battles of the recent war flashed before the jury,
and all the sylvan romance of a hunter's life was reproduced as by
magic.
In the second place he contended that Cole made an absolute defense
on his claim of title under his deed; no matter though John Williams,
Junior, was the bastard of a bastard; his deed was good to make a
claim of title under, by the common law of England, and that of every
State of the United States; and he read authorities to the Court.
He then showed pretty conclusively that Cole left Connecticut in the
spring of 1817, and was not a year and two months on the road; that
he came in in 1817, and not in 1818; and this, he said he would
demonstrate. John Fowler, Hiram Fowler's son, had sworn positively
that his father worked for Cole, repairing the fence on the north.
Ward swore to the same; he had told this one bit of truth by some
unaccountable accident; so that the plaintiff had also proven that
Hiram Fowler had worked for Cole on this land, and hence Cole was in
possession of it in the lifetime of Fowler. When did Fowler die?
"Now," said Bart, "I will read from this probate record, already put
in evidence, but not read," and he opened and read from the record
of the Court, begun and held in the court house at Chardon, for the
county of Geauga, commencing April 17, 1818, the appointment of an
administrator on the estate of "Hiram Fowler, late deceased, of the
township of Newbury, in said county," and closed the book with a clap.
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