New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-03-17
BEN S Err r "A Q
A Scene lii an Algerian Police Court.

BEN. SIERRA Q.
A Scene liz an Algerian Police Court.
The Frcnch-Algerian magistrates chaoueh or
sheriff officer, Diilali by name, was recovering
little from the out-ofcounenance condition into which
he had been thrown by his failure in giving mira
culous turn to the embezzlement of couple OF sacks
of wheat from the backs of a pair of donkeys. He
Strengthened his back, stood stiff his legs, and
abruptly entered with inetabe ZEAL the discharge
Of his functions as chiefconstable and crer-oftle
cCdrt. He felt himself in one of those happy mo-
ments when, after having we'll deserved good beat.
ing he ready to transfer the favor to the first
person he met. He was an eigEt-day clock Woundu up
again, when just at the point of running down and
coming to stop. As he opened and shut the police
room doors with the oudest bangings and cappings-
shouting for the plaintiffs to appear, and hustng
everybody who stood in his way as he staggered
about the antcchambcr-the assembly present, still
impressed with the sack-anddonkey scene they had
witnessed, whispered front mouth to mouth and from
ear to ear, that in the memory of mekra2enl, 50
accomplished ctaouch had never been seen.
Suddenly, confused noise was heard out of doors
As it approached, the sounds grew louder; and at
last the ear could distinguish the most energetic oahs
in the Arab language, and tue music which proceeds
from tistcufs and kicks when applied to the divers
parts of the hnman body. Djaii's voice rose above
the tunut and his stick accompanied the melody of
his voice. Finally the door opened, and group of
men, singulary interaced together, rolled into rather
than entered thereon. When Djali, by succession
of the most skillful movements, had succeeded i'll
putting little restraint and order into this TEMPEST
uous storm of arms and legs, the eye could manage to
distinguish group OF five men, four OF whom had
quite enough to do to enforce on the tlfh little
respect. The astnamed worthy was of lofty stature
and vigorously limbed His garments torn to shreds,
and his sorry face attested participation in recent
Strlggle but his hands, tied behind his back and
fastened by rope to his neck were evidence that ne
had not been Victorious His companions held him
fast with degree of caution which showed that even
il, thny fp reduced,
quite silre he would not make his escape Four ropes
ends, which dangled from his wrists and his neck,
tightly glsped with exaggerated uneaslness and
tenacty Scarcely had the five new corners subsidized
into camness, wien an unanimous exclamation arose
from the midst of the audience '-.
Ills Ben Serraq What has he been doing
now"
H. Richard, the presiding magistrate, inquired
somewhat severely:
a What has tic man done that you should bring
him bound nthat cruel way!"
u" It's Ben SenaQ!" was the answer he received
from the qllartette of voices.
All, Ben Scuaq! A professional robber belonging
to the Sefhha, is he not?"
'The very same ~ said the Coryphrps of the
| associated plaintiffs.
Yes, sure cnough-'tis Ben Selraq,'' growled the
prisoner, in voice which reminded you Of avid
beast roaring at night
''But was informed that he had amended hismode
Of life and that lately he has been living at peace
with his ncighhors?"
II have always lived at peace with my neighbors.
! am good Mussulman, fearing Allah and the law.
l am illuminated"
Hold'your tongue said the court. and do not
speak till you are spoken to-
:" It is true, explained plaintiff number one, " that
for time past, he has let us he quiet and only
committed distant robberes; but few days since he
stole one Of our bull0cks.'
SidiB Krari :" roared the savage How dare
they SANDER poor innocent creature like me in that
| cruel way"
" But is the fact clearly proyed?' the president in
| ,iraI In,tr Il amp
1T is as plain as it possibly can be- stated plaintiff
number two. There is not the least doubt about the
matter"
'sThat's what you get observing the Frenct'
muttercd Ben Serraq, with the air of Cato. What
ingrattude, gracious Allah, Lord of the Universe !!
At this juncture, Dali received orders to prevent
4 the accused, by any means whatever, from making
lengthy Interruptions to the recital Of the plaintiffs
i wrongs. As to short EXPLANATIONS that will break
forth, the chaouch might allow them to burst from
their satetyvalvc, seeing the material mpossbility
and uselessress of continuing them within the lips OF a
| subject like the present defendant.
"Comc, then said the court decidedly, " one Of
you explain the business"
!" Don't mind what they say" Ben sclraq reared
out. They are inveterate liars. Besides, they have
| q spite against me- .-
''As said just now" the complainant stated, "thc
case is plain Our herds were grazing in the neigh
borhood Of Ben Scrraqs tent. On driving them home
in the evening we discovered that bullock was mis-
sing. My brethren and myself Immediately took the
field to discover some trace of the robbery, but we
could discover nothing AT last after several days Of
fruitlcss Search it entered into our heads to have q
| look at Ben Serraq's tent. We had suspected him,
in consequence Of what had happened some months
previously.".s -
" Balllarans! = yelled the utanned innocent, I" to
violate the tent of an honest Mussnlman!'
ss: But We had no need to enter it which, moreover,
we should not have done without the kaids authori
zation.'
'tQuite right said the magistrate, approvingy.
eve met his wife, as she was coming from the
water" -
What an abomination !" howled the iipel brute
to stop woman On the rnad!'
And who, for the promise of a trifng reward
told us the whole affair."
,,o, v: capital wtness-a she beggar' who betrayS
She explained that it was her husband who stole
our bullock, in order to provide himself with store
Of salt meat.
I" Sidi BOu krar That q woman should lie like
that Y
% She then showed us several eoat-skins filed with
the meat
GAS if a Mussliman were not allowed to keep salt
ed meat in his tent u
"And, to remove all doubt as to where the meat
came from, she showed us the bullocks head lying ii
one corner of the tent still in state sufficiently pre-
served to enable us to recognise the ANIMAL
; "What a horrible shc-vagabond! But her evidence
is good for nothing had given her a beating moi
two days before.'
Our only thought then was to seize the wildboal
who is now before you. There was the difficulty; fol
, knock down a camel with a blow of his fist
What jokc am as mild as Sheep
" Twenty of us met in company, and at dawn o
day informed by his wife"
-" What pity did not strange her, as I mean
to !"
" Info1medby his wife that he was still asleep We
rushed down upon him; and, after desperate strug
gle, conrived to bind him in the way you see, as 1t
lay on his mat
:" Sid Abd-Allah What treachery! To attack {
good Mussulman as he lay aslecp!'
And good thing it was that we did attack hin
that way for, although he hardly awake, he
!: managed, while he wrestling with us, to break
of Guild Sekrads legs and to put out one of Al
Oud Ama's eyes He smashed in five or six of pool
Buo Senan's teeth, and bit OtsInan Oud Messassits
back savagely."
'Justce of the Master of the World! isit possible
to lie in this way? On the contrary 1have been hal
killed by you. Don't you see my face is covered all
over with bloodT'
''Son of dog you well know that the blood is from
poor Oud Messassit's BODY
"Sidi Abd-Alah !" exclaimed Ben SelTaq.
But it was of no use invoking the saints. Diila
called for towel and basin of water and with them
washed BcnSerraq face. The experiment established
the fact that that interesting individual had not re-
ceycd the slightest Scratch and that the bite the
unfortunate Oud Messassts back must have been the
only source of the stains
"Well. Ben Serraq," said the president, although
cannot entertain any reasonable doubt of your guilt
you are, nevertheless at liberty to speaklet hear
what you have to say in justifcation?"
I m a To aiut will