Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1837-09-18
Scenes the Court OF Sessions.

scenes a the Court OF SESSIONS
sATunDAy-Noos.-Present his honor the honor
able and learned Recorder Richard Rker, Aldermen
Varian, Smith, J. Hoxie, and at intervals nearly the
Whole of the members Of the Council, commonly
called Common and common enough they are.
big bnrly black woman named Eliza Hall was
ch rgci with beating small, delicate made delicate
lSoSing yellow girl, who was what is called in the
presence of "ears polite" in a delicate situation.
Lie was put into the box and sworn frst-jary sworn
ncxt-compainant sworn last.
Rec0rdcr.-Betsy, this woman beat you badly
Vitness.-She did.
Rec.-How near being put 10 bed was you at the
time OF being beat if you hadn't been beat, and had
gone your regular time?
UTf-Three days, sir:
Rec-Ah! bad! very bad very bad OF you Eliza,
TO beat this young girl at that time she being
her time-bad for any body TO beat womaa-lts
very bad for man to beat woman-fs more bad
for a woman to beat woman, for woman knows
what feels and suffers, especially when she's
i'm the family way, and it's still much more bad for
woman to beat woman at the time she's SO near
her iime-oh! it's bad state Of things and must be
put stop to- and this court il determined to protect
Young women and old women, and all women, and
TO disgrace every body that does them any kind Of
harm
Pris.-I never did the girl any harm--she didn't
miscarry on account of what / did to her.
Rec-Oh, but You dd-and we could punish you
much. We adudge you 10 be imprisoned in the pc
nltehtiary for six calender months; you'll be put
upon Backwells Island, and made to get ou-no--
yes-yOu ii De put upon bidckWcu . IsidHu, ana put
10 proper work.
They have not yet arrived at that pitch of re
fincmeni as to make women "get out stene!"
On the delivery OF this sentence the negro girl look
ed black as thunder cloud and roared out so as
TO convuse the councillors with laughter WE'LL
Mr.. Dicky Riker, If you have 80 much feeling for
women in the family way, yeu might have some
small mite for me, for I'm five months in the family
way myself!'
The Recorder, however, did not or would not hear
her. and she was walked off 10 be deiirered in con-
fnsment.
Then there arose a most unmuscal loud roar of un-
der talking until ne one was understood and Mr.
Phenx called out" Ezekiel Madderv'
No Ezekiel Nader came forward, and Phenix call
cd out again. and Mr.. Price rose to speak, and began
IL itpleasc the court:"-
But il didn't please the cosrt for the court was
on each SIDE Of iheme.snd Mr. Price got impatient
and Mr.. Phenx smed-and somebody else grinned
and mp the great provider for that hon. the law
Jacob Hays, and he cried out NJ he rose up Sit
DOWN.
Mr. Price again called out " If il please the court
i'm tho case Of
Hays.-Take your seats outside, and sit down.
Pnce.-Sit down yourself Mr.. Hays.
Down drops Mr. Hays
Green, charge Of obtaining goods under false pre-
fences, wish to obtain copy Of the affidavit made
by Hunt for it's q most unjust charge these TWO
young merchants have been dragged hither from
tnetf business III Orango county, Wnuner uich ms
fortunes had driven them to answer false charge OF
felony. This practice of turning what should be
civil suits into criminal prosecutions, in this court has
become notorious, shameful and corrupt as TO call
loudly for interference law established to abolish
imprisonment for debt instead Of making the situation
of q man better has made IL ten times worse.
The Recorder upon this seemed TO consider for SIX
seconds, and then admitted that what Mr.. Price said
was very truethat the Court of Sessions had become
very bad-very bad indeed-probaby in more ways
than one-in short the substance Of the Recorders
sayings went to show that the Court of Sessions had
become poor, dwelling. dirty place for the practice
of humbug and chicanery almost beneath contempt
for said he il is notorious that instead of being hgn
court Cor law aAd justice, il has become mere ma
chine for the recovery Of debts and extorng OF mo-
MES -
Then after this sad admission Of the sad state o.
society in the Sessions Court the Recorder cJus'fu ~,
and colored, and looked confused, and looked ~ nv
colleagues, and coughsd again and colered deeper,
and bowed lower and pus No spsctscies nGnea
his head, and msae many funny motions himself anu
sung out :, - n.
Make your motion, Mr.. Prcs'" and Mr. Pnce
made his melton. ,,,,,-
Then up rose gentle Geordie," George WILSON,