Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-09-16
From a baltimore paper.

From a baltimore paper.
The English papers contain short ac
counts of trials which take place in theis
courts both of civil and criminal Jurisdie
tiou, which arevery amusing to a major
ity of readers, In our Courts here ma
ny trials occur, reports ottwlich world be
eqally amusing, and in some instances
furnish useful information. The follow
ingis given as specimen Of what might
be daRe, it we could ihduce, some Of the
gentleman Of the bar vino are known to
pnssess the ability, to turn their attention
to the subject whensany case Of sufficient
tried.
The STATE VS.. LANMAN.
On Saturday last Jane alias Jenny Ian
mar. Spinstor, VAS tried in the court of
Oyer aud Ferminer for Baltimore caua-
u upon an Indictment for being '.Cun-
NUNS RiXatrix Pa common scold and
turbul eue biaWlcr.
The attorney General opened the Pro-
secation wilma brief statement of the
facthe expected topiove against the FRA
verser and Observed, that the gentlemen
of the jury must be perfectly aware that
the pa5lic peace might be more Mostly
disturbed and the dignity of the good pco-
pie of the state of Maryland more loudly
insuIted by the snrlll clamor Of a woman's
tongue than by the boisterous quarreIs OF
men that assaults and batteries were
quickly over, and the mischief usually
confined to the parties, but the rattle of
q coHtnon Scold was incessant and an
noycd the ,hale neis hboi hood-.tbat al
Trough this offence was strictly of Che le-
minnie gender and to the honor of our
sex the law had no term to fix this re
9roach upon men-yet inasnuch as we
were The principal sufferers, the pollcy of
the law had vested men with the sole
prerogatite of trial and punishment
That ne trusted he seed not remindanem
on this occasion that the tranquility Of So
ciety tuatIiy dePended upon a sanitary
Restraint oi It's RESTLESS and uhgoreraaole
meinbefs.
The first witness called was the clerk
Iof the market, who testified that he had
known the traverser about four years dur
ing winch the witness had charge of the
market. That Oh market DAYS she was
particularly noisy and troublesome, bel
Ii9Wing and screaming at all the market
IPeopIe, within hereacho of her tongue
that excepting her tongue, he knew 10
BARN OF het--shc was at times indistri-
Ious and submissive. lndeed he must con-
less he had now become so used TO her
Itounge it did not annoy him great deal
though he could DOT tell how her scoid
llngsat up on other peoples ears, that he
loeliesea however she was afraid of no
imam OF woman upon earth except him
self.
Two Ceastabes were then called. one
TOT whom declared that he considered
Ijenny the trayerser. one Of the most tur-
ihulentest creatures he had ever saw in
t'e whole course Of his life. shat she was
Ia6uslse to every body, black and white,
lgentle and simple. that witness had fog
lged iler- over and over again, with We
Ify good cow hide, to see If he could not
qAet her tongue, but all TO no purpose,
Tor the more he bad whipped the louder
she had screened, so that he absolutely
desPaired OF care.
Here the jury begged to have the ira
IverSer produced that thew might see l,er
and upon this, without leaving the box
they found her guilty.
we understand the punishment isnot
yet fixed, though the law still authorizes
the coart toinfict the ancient and appro-
PIRATE punishment of Ducking till the Of
fender viii hold her tongue.