New York Herald/1878/The Preaching Ploughman



The case of Farmer Lattin, of Farmingdale, was again before the courts yesterday at Long Island City. The defendant, in his testimony, denied all the allegations of cruelty and neglect made against him by his wife. The defendant is seventy-two years of age and sometimes varies his occupation of farming by trying to convert his neighbors to the practice of the Christian virtues. Lattin was confidently quiet during his direct examination by Judge Reid, but at times became quite animated when cross-examined by Mr. Beaver, occasionally saying, "Oh, you can't catch me; I'm all straight; I ain't lying." his property, he said, was worth about $500 or $600, and he was married about four years ago.

When asked how he knew what clothing was left by his wife, he said an inventory had been made by order of the Surrogate, at the same time shaking his fist at Mr. Beaver, saying. "We are straight, we are." Lattin said he had given his wife money to buy clothing; at one time in particular he gave her sixty er seventy-five cents to buy stuff for chemises. "I told her I should not be at the expense of buying clothing so long as there was so much in the house." Lattin here became somewhat excited and Mr. Beaver told him not to be too earnest, as he (Beaver) was a dreadful fellow when he got mad. Lattin — A Christian would not get mad. Judge Reid — Who ever heard of a lawyer being a Christian? Lattin said he never gave his wife to exceed $2. His meat bill during the time she was with him was probably $30; he always paid cash and could not tell anything about the profits from his land, as he never kept any accounts; he once paid $30 for a cow, but the cars ran over her and killed her, "and that was the last of that."

He said he had been a member of the Methodist Church for thirty-six years. Mr. Beaver — You are an exhorter and sometimes preach, do you not? Lattin — Yes; I preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And I am just as likely to praise God in the night as in the daytime. Mr. Beaver — Was your wife very nervous — did she easily get excited excited? Lattin — Well. she was like an other women; she has the grit. Mr. Beaver — Was she ever frightened at your religious demonstrations? Lattin — She was never frightened at anything I did In praising the Lord; she went to the altar once and made profession, and I tried to get her to pray, but she soon fell away. Mr. Bearer asked Lattin whether he was ever arrested, and Lattin answered yes — twenty years ago, in Farmingdale, for striking an Irishman who attacked his son; "and I will defend myself and children by the grace of God." Lattin then demonstrated to Counselor Beaver (gently) how be took hold of his wife by the nape of the neck and the hearing closed. At the next hearing Mr. Beaver will introduce some rebutting testimony for the plaintiff and both Counsel will sum up.