American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-07-31
CrinOiinc I'm COurt--A Lady Ares.
ted and Fined for Obstructins
the Sidewalks.

ted and Fined for Obstructins
the Sidewalks.
One OF the most extraordinary cases
ever brought before legal tribunal was
witnessed in the Police Court on Sat.
urday. AN officer complained of u
young and remarkably handsome la
dy for obstructing the sidewalks of
Washington street by too great dis
play of crinoline. As it is understood
that the lady is highly connected, We
will call her Mary Smith, and no, cs.
pose her true name.
Before the complaint was read, Judge
Russell inquired as to the whereab bouts
of the prisoner. The officer replied
that the lady was waiting in the entry;
that himself and two others had eu-
deavored to squeeze her through the
doorways but they were too narrow,
and he wished the Judges advice in tho
premises. ....
Judge said that it was an extraordi.
nary case-the constitution guaranteed
to every one an open trial,a he would
not hold session in the entry even TO
please o lady. Under the circumstan-
ces, he recommended that Miss Smith
be moved from the entry to the front
door, and he thought that she must spread
considerable not to be able to take her
place in the prisoners dock.
The experiment was tried and found
to answer admirably -the door being
some twenty feet wide, very little com
preston was needed-and with q frown
of indignation upon her pretty brow,
Miss. Smith found herself face TO face
with The judge, and listened to tho
complaint which was read to her.
The officer testified that half dos-
en- times during tho week he had been
obliged to step from the sit ewalk to en-
able the defendant to pass. Once he
came very near being run over by d
passing carriage, and he inquired of tho
judge whether the city government
would have allowed pension to his
widow in case he had been killed.
The judge said that he should re-
serve his opinion until some time next
week or that point, and inquired wheth-
er the circumference of the lady was
not produced by natural causes.
The police officer said that he was
the father of sixteen children; and if he
was lucky, he expected an addition to
bis family next month. He had new
er known his wife to occupy half so
much space as Miss Smith, and he no.
ped she never would, &C he disliked
twins.
The court rebuked the levity Of the
man and told him lie must trust to Prov.
idence.
The officer said that he should but
IT Providence continued to favor him,
he meant to petition for an increase Of
salary, and no thought he ought to have
il.
The court intimated that his remarks
were irrelevant to the cass, and inquir.
ed if he had any further testimony to
offer.
The officer said that no had. He
had requested the prisoner two or three
times not to stop on the sidewalk, as
people were unable TO pass without
going into the street, which at times
was inconvenient to ladies wearing pa.
der-soled shoes, owing to the outrageous
manner in which the throughfares were
watered.
The court, in summing up, said that
the evil was one Of great magnitude.
and should DO checked by vigorous mea'
sures. There was no statute under
which too great display of crinoline
came, but he should take the respon.
eibility ofinAictDg fine of$5 and tho
cost, and he hoped that it would be q
warning
The fine was promptly paid and Miss
Smith was discharged. = Boston Herald.
A New kind of buckwhe from ia