New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-10-09
2otal 9ntfIliqtntf.
AMcNa THE DUMMIES.

TROUBLE AMcNG THE DUMMIES.
a Rich SCENE IN CouRT.-Charies 0'Hara,
welknown and very intelligent young deaf and
damb man, (well known about the Third District
Exchange, where he has been employed as bar
keeper) yesterday had George W. Sword alias
Seward, another deaf and dumb man, arraisncd
before Assistant Recorder Magion on the charge
of being vagrant and negecting to support bis
family. 1t appears that Sword, or Seward, got on
a drunken spree on Saturday night, wanted to
fight and was brought in for this, when 0'Hara
appeared and made the above charge against him.
Both can write toerably well so, although the
writing process was slow there was little trouble
in arriving at the merits of the case.
O'Hara, the prosecutor, had summoned four or
five other dummies as witnesses. One of these
was the deserted wife of Seward; really hand
some young woman of Mexican complexion and
feature, with piercing black eyes, and copu-
tenance, and perfection of pantomime, which
enables her to tell volumes to any one, whilst she
cannot write word. [By the way, this woman
has for some time been employing O'Hara as her
amanuenss, to write letters for her to her friends
| abroad. We have seen him writing by her dicta-
lion with her hands and eyes, and we never en-
| joved anything more. A very strong sympathy
exists between the two, but that is none of our
| busness.l
| Another of the witnesses was the new dummy
| husband of Stewards pretty deserted wife, above
| mentioned. O'Hara boldly proclaimed that Seward
had four or five wives, all dummies, and further,
| that Seward was great rascal beyond his whole
sale bgamy, having served term in the New
York penitentiary for some heinous offence. We
shall not attempt to describe the rovel and some
| what ludtcrous appearance Of the excited mutes,
| as they eonversed together in court. II all they
said with their faces, shoulders, and rapid manipu-
| lations had been spoken with the full excitement
which their looks and actions indicated, the noise
would have converted the courthouse into another
| Babel of confusion. Officer Bachemin had no oc-
casion to order these people to keep quiet, or p
stop their talking in Court.
The different mutes signifed that they understood
what an oath was, and took the oath as well as any
| when examined.
/ The following dialogue took place between the
Recorder and Seward, the Recorder writing his
questions, and Seward writing the answers with q
\ pencil: ~us ~.-
4 Recordes.-How often have you been here?
.Se,rard- i come here about five or six times.
John Merritt come here ten times. OfHara come
here seven times.
Recordsr.-What is your real name?
Se,card- George W. Seward.
Recorder-Aas Sword?
i se,card-My mother is mistaken. My father is
| true. Seward. You can ask my cousins and aunts
Reeorder-Bave you not been sent to the peni
tentary in New York? -. NJ
Serard-Because / am innocent they suspicion
me bad.
Il Recordsr-How many wives have you now?
ies,edrd-I have three mistress. They are wh-e
have one wife living. One wife is dead
| Charles o'Hara, the prosecutor, was then exam
iued, giving his answers in writing to the write
questions of the Recorder. gg4p 5.-ar aa
Recorda'-Where do you live .am. E
f OiHdrd-I live with my aunt No. l37 Marign
street. Other cousin No. 374 st. Cassacalyo.
/, native in Covington, KY.
3 Recorder-You swear to translate truly WIFI
$ that woman says?
O'Hdfu-[ After eye-talk and hand talk with th
j pretty deserted onel-That woman told me thd
: he was married with her in one month and hal
He ran away months Cincinnati, Ohio.
Recorder-Was he married to the other one law
fully? m@ 5@-.l .l".. T.,
O'Hdrd-Tn St. Louis.
Recordcr-Can you swear that he is an idle per
son, having no visible means of living, and is
vagrant?
O.Hard-T do swear it.
The other gentleman dummy who was husband o
one of Stewards wives--the pretty little deserted
one in Court-was sworn. He wrote the follow
ing, as all he knew of the matter: =.-=
"My wife said she confessed that George W
Seward did atteud to kill her on the steame
Hannibal, between St. Louis and Hannibal. Il
acts as bgamy.'
The little woman, well knowing what her ney
husband had written, rose from her seat, fixed he
expressive eyes on the Recorder, frowned savagely
pointed at Seward, raised her clenched hand, as
grasping dagger, and brought it down on he
bosom as if stabbing herself; thereby expressin
that Seward had actually attempted to kill he
: with knife. No actress of the Ravel troupe coul
have beaten this pantomime.
Meantime Seward had written this apologeti
note, which he handed to the Recorder:
TO The Recorder-I am very sorry that wa
J Drunk. My company give me bad will leav
in this day for Mobile. Will you be Pardon me
go out--& | am coal boat and iron Roller. l al
9 sorry Happened. ] have been stay one year ,
know many police men. ] have little money
you please to let me out-I will never get Drum
no more again. Yours truly. G. w. SEWARD.
lawyer volunteering to defend Seward and t
procure him a better hearing as to the charge
: vagrancy, the Recorder sent him to prison. in d.
: fault of bail, to await examination; and the whol
crowd of mutes left court, talking in their quit
= and expressive way as only mutes can.
. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.
he Of /,