THE DISSOLUTE SEAMAN

“Mrs. Teed was bound to Jack by a chain which could not be dissolved. That son, whom she has brought to prove the innocence of her husband, was put to bed with the assassin of her uncle.”- Martin Van Buren to the jury.

    “I’m starting to wonder if James Teed might not have gone from some otherwise low tide indifference (or pleasure) with Anak-Jack clam diggin’ with ex- Hanna to facilitating a double elimination (Dick & fall guy Jack),(also pleasure), lubed and fueled by the still house formaldehyde? Power and dignity may be taller boots indeed, but they seem to sink even deeper into their own shit. Keep it comin’! I’ll winch my ass out when I need to!” This quote is courtesy of my good friend, and loyal reader, artist Ted Rosenthal. Every morning he reads the blog and responds with his helpful exegesis. It’s an invaluable gift that reminds me that at least one person is reading. You think art is a lonely game? Try writing a fucking book. 

     I have a five by twenty feet steel sign planted in my front yard. In large cut-out letters it spells out $ORRY. Ted fabricated it. The viewer can attach whatever meaning they want to the sculpture. For me it works on multiple levels, some universal, others closer to home. You can’t get to be my age without being sorry for a few things. 

    I sympathize with Richard Jennings’ portrayal as the “old savage,” or a mendacious villain, who’d just as soon trick you, as shake your hand. First impressions are important; and some of us don’t always make a good one. All it takes is telling off one townie truck driver tearing up your front lawn, or screaming at the volunteer firemen blasting your illegal debris fire into the dry woods, to be labeled a bad egg, a jerk, another fuck-face Osterhout. Small towns come by their prejudices quickly, and hold on to them for dear life. Read the sign—$ORRY. 

    

     With the exception of some tepid victim patronizing, the only person who had anything good to say about Richard Jennings in court was his accused murderer- Jack Hodges. Jack hadn’t slept a wink since those nights in Charlie’s room and the murder; wandering aimlessly through the village, getting drunker and drunker….. picking fights with women and children. He regretted it all. He didn’t care about the money. Five hundred dollars, a thousand dollars..….it was a complete abstract to him. It might as well have been a million. Leave? Stay? Get away, or be arrested? Who cares. So, Jack drank….and drank, falling into Lobdell’s woodpile, trying to sleep it off, only to be rudely awakened by the irksome taunts of feral children.  

Jack Hodges sworn

By Jonathan Fisk:

Q. Did you flog a little boy at Conklin’s?

A. Yes.

Q. Did Mrs. Conklin scold you for it?

A. She did

Q. Was you saucy to her?

A. I believe I gave her some saucy language.

By Atty. Gen. M. Van Buren: 

Q. Did you see Conklin on your return?

A. On Christmas morning about 8 o’clock, I got to Conklin’s, Mr. Teed was then there. Conklin told me that Teed informed him that the people of Sugar Loaf were looking for Mr. Jennings and that they suspected that he had been murdered, and judged me very hard. He told me I had better go away from this place, and he would see what money he could make up for me and get Teed to write a line to a friend of his, an Irishman in New York.

Q. Where was you when this conversation took place?

A. I was in the barn. Conklin and Teed went into the house and when they returned Mr. Conklin gave me 10 dollars and said that was all he could spare. He also gave me a paper he said was to a friend of his in NY. He said to show it to any person and they would direct me to the house.

Q. What was that man in NY to do?

A. I cannot read, but I believe Mr. Conklin requested him to find me some employment.

    At this point in the proceedings Attorney General Van Buren knew he had the jury in his pocket. The letter was carefully laid out on the long table. Already entered into evidence, it was solemnly presented to Jack Hodges with these words:

Q. Should you know the paper Jack, if you should see it?

A. I believe I should.

Q. Is this the paper?

A. It is the same one.

 Martin Van Buren handed the letter to District Attorney John Duer, who read it aloud to the jury:

To Mr. James Adair No. 18 Sixth St. NY

Mr. James Adair,

Jack, the bearer, has some notion of shipping if he can get a chance, and as I have some acquaintance with you, I wish you would try to get him on some business until he gets a chance. I can recommend him to be a smart, good man for business.

I am yours respectfully,

David Conklin December 26^th, 1818