Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-06-16
A "LYNCH TRIAL" ON A STEAMBOAT.
Fun and Justice Combined


law affair that occurred on the steamer Mime
mana on her trip up the Missouri. in which the
public Will be apt to recognize rather more JUS
tlee than In most cases that have been tried by
that formidable judiciary
Among our respectable passengers, was found
a aver ye[rdant-lOoking youth running away with
The melancholy fact having leaked out. it
was forthwith resolved that Judge Lynch should
call special session of his august and sum
mary court
Arrangements were soon made sheriff and
judges hastily put on authority and dignity,
and the following writ was Immediately issued ::
In the name of the)
sPss5sRi. ssRRi': 5. Court of Judge Lynch
Steamer Minnehaha-To any sheriff or officer
of the steamer Minnehaha, greeting:
We command you. in the name of our supe-
rior court, now holding a special session on
board the steamer aforesaid that you arrest
and bring forthwith into our august presence,
Don Juan c., if found in Your bailwick.
charged with grand larceny and the further
crime OF adultery upon the high seas, against
the peace and dignity of the giant Republic
and within the immediate cognizance of this
high court.
And in this fail not upon your peril.
Given under our hand and seal of the Court
this 18th of Flora, and in the year of our court
the ffty-seventh
JUDGE LYNCH, Chief Justice.
Judge Judge Pnrity' Pnrisg,y' Associates,
As usual, the sheriff Of Judge Lynch's court
acted with astonishing promptitude and vigor.
and in twenty minutes from the issuing Of the
warrant, the guilty Mr.. C-l stood in the
august presence Of the supreme terrestrial ius-
tice. Having been regularly indicted. petit
jury was empannelied, and the public prose-
cutor appearing against him, the Chief Justice
appointed counsel for the Defense and the trial
at once began.
The court rOom-5ent's cabin-was crowded
and all eyes were fixed upon the physiOgnomy
Oh the accused, while the aforesaid cOuntenance
grew white and red by turns, as either fear or
shame took possession of its posSessor.
witnesses for the prosecution were examined
one after another, and all testimony went
straight to show that the lady was put on board
the Mlnnehaha at Council Bluffs by her own
leige lord, and that the prisoner came on board
at the next landing and took possession Of her
as his own welded wife, and that as such, they
had roomed together since. Parties from the
Blufs, who knew the injured husband testified
to his marriage with the frail lady passenger
which transpired only some two months since
The case looked dark. There was no testi-
mOny in contradiction to the above. The prose-
cutting attorney looked triumphant. The jury
grew sOlemnly dignifed. The chief Justice and
! his associates waxed still sterner and looked
more mOrosely grave. The counsel for the de-
fence took the prisoner to one side-a few mo
ments conversation ensued. and again they
appeared in court The counsel and his unfor-
tunate client seemed like men in desperate
circumstances. Hope and fear alternated on
their expressive but diabolically sedate coun-
tenances. At length. however, the counsel rose
and put in the following document as conclu-
siye and sufficient evidence of the innocence
and purity of his client. Amidst mingled
Kisses and murmurings of wrath, il was admitted
az evidence in court:
SUPREME BRSCH-SHOEHAKER's COURT.
COUNCIL BLUFFS CITY, Iowa
May 2, 1857.
To all to schom these presents Daay come !:
greeting.
Be it known that 1, Simeon Shoemaker, ius-
tice OF the peace of said city and State reposing
special confidence in the statement that an un-
pleasant row has existed for some time between
job d and his wife Betsey, do hereby dis
solve the bonds OF matrimOny heretofore exist
ing between them, very much to their mutual
| disgust And Furthermore be it known that L,
having been duly elected to this position by the
Mormon vote, do in harmony with the sublime
! polygamic doctrines of Saint Brigham Young
hereby seal and deliver over the said Betsey to
| C., Esq, to have, to use, and to hold in any
! manner that to him may seem good Witness
/ my hand, and this great seal of the Court here
| unto appended, on this the 26th day of May, A
| -. 1891. SIMEON SHOEMAKER, J. P,
and ex-othcio marriage breaker and maker
This record, from the authenticated docket of
| Esquire Shoemaker, was introduced with an
parent confidence on the part of the defence ;
| and the prisoner being put on the stand testi-
ned In substance the same thing, assuring the
| jury that he was the husband Of Mrs O--ley
The court, however, ruled that Shoemaker had
no authority in law, and did not amount to
! much as man, and that the prisoner was an
unmitigated liar. The Chief Justice then launch
/ ed out into a moral dissertation, distinguished
alike for Its purity and beauty Of thought and
its elegance and chastity of expression
| The jury retired, and in Just one hour and
twenty-h minutes, returned with the following
| VERDICT:
We, the jurors, OF this august court. after
| solemn and deliberate deliberation and re6ec-
| tive consideration in the momentous case sub
mitted to US, do find
| j. That Esquire ShOemaker's commission cx.
pired on the first of April. 1857
?. That Esquire Shoemaker had no authority
| to grant divorce in the case of .. ps O.
| 8. That the defendant c. is guilty in manner
and form, as he stands charged in the indict-
ment
| We recommend that C. be put upon log and
! sent down the river rolling. That Mrs O. be
| locked up In the state room and kept securely
until she arrives at her place of destination
and when she shall be delivered over to her
friends and that sentence be executed forthwith,
PETER JONES, Foreman
| While the judge was preparing to pass SEN
tence upon the convicted and truly wretched
man, the steamer stopped at a woOdyard-pris-
oner's counsel obtained private interview, and
advised culprit to agitate his pedal extremities
and disappear in the thick hazel brush and un-
! derwood that skirted the shore. Prisoner sweat
ed IN hls great agony, and trembling with much
fear, was secretly sisted IN the ponywav nj N I
| by hls c0unsel-fOurteen deck hands firing pis-
tolls and yelling like devils incarnate. were soon
bowling ON his track. But darkness covered
| his person and his shame with robe of common
! charity, and he escaped, never to return Next
morning the sentence was completed and the
/ dlsgraced female delivered over TO her
/ friends, who awaited her arrival at Il
| ALLIANCE OF CENTRAL AMERICAN STATES
/ dispatch from New York states that Senior As
| tabuFnaga, who will be remembered as former
J Secretary of the Gillian Legation in this city,
has been appointed Minister TO Costa Rica,