ten o'clock
With the aid of the Lieutenant-Governor he succeeded in finding a man who would dare to swear out a warrant against him . As a preliminary skirmish he was charged with a violation of the statutory laws of the United States relating to Reconstruction and arraigned before a Commissioner . Against Elsie 's agonizing protest , old Stoneman appeared at the courthouse to conduct the prosecution . In the absence of the United States Marshal , the warrant had been placed in the hands of the sheriff , returnable at ten o'clock on the morning fixed for the trial . The new sheriff of Ulster was no less a personage than Uncle Aleck , who had resigned his seat in the House to accept the more profitable one of High Sheriff of the County . There was a long delay in beginning the trial . At 10:30 not a single witness summoned had appeared , nor had the prisoner seen fit to honour the court with his presence .