40 Vt. 183 | Vt. | 1868
Upon the argument, but two exceptions taken to the dicisions of the county court ai*e relied upon by the defendant.
L it is claimed that the charge to the jury as to the testimony of the experts, introduced by the defendant, was erroneous. Three witnesses were called for the purpose of proving that certain papers produced on the trial, were in the handwriting of the prosecutrix. The opinion of one of them, called to testify to this point, is based upon his acquaintance with the prosecutrix, and his knowledge of her handwriting; of the other, upon his habit and experience, as cashier of a bank, in examining signatures for the purpose of detecting forgeries. It is said the truthfulness of these witnesses was ignored by the court, and that their opinion, with respect to the inquiry to which their evidence related, was submitted to be determined by the jury upon other evidence than their own testimony. We do not understand the charge in this sense, but only as relating to the reliance to be placed by the jury upon it. The judge expressly told the jury, that the law permitted the use of the evidence; that the opinion of the witnesses was to be considered by them in connection with the other evidence in the case, but that it was not conclusive.; and what is said in the subsequent part of the charge does not improperly qualify its legitimate force and effect. If the judge had gone further, aud told the jury, what to be sure is unusual, as expressed in an early case, that it was entitled to but little weight as proof of the disputed fact, but, after all, leaving it for them to weigh and consider, it would not have been an error.
II. The defendant insists that his impeaching testimony was improperly excluded. As to a party’s right to impeach the witness of his adversary, there is no doubt. The question in this case is, when, in the progress of the trial, should he avail himself of this right. There is a limit to all inquiry, as to material facts, in the ordinary course of a trial, and the party’s right is affected by long and well established rules of practice, which may, or may not be, applied and enforced, in the discretion of the court. The first step taken in this case, in the county court, was putting the prosecutrix on the stand. She testified, making out, as she deemed, a prima facie case. She was cross-examined by the defendant’s counsel in
The judgment of the county court is affirmed.