Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1869-08-19
An Honest Negro wants q Divorce from
Stealing Wife.
From the PHILADELPHIA North Anne

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Among tho recent visitors ut tho Central
Police Station to his Honor Justice Kerr,
was !, stalwart coloretl man accompanied by
Il cOnplo Of female Americans OF African
descent. The male was as solemn in man.
ncr and as dark in the cuticle as q prize
heayse. The trio arranged themselves in
front Of the Justices desk, and the man
asked on official audience. The genial and
gentle Justice took a fresh dip of ink, md
opened a conversation thus:
''What is your name?"
"Gracchus Johnson, sah."
"Crackers Johnson, did you say2"
ono, sab; my fader, sab, was not baker,
sab. My name is Gracchus sah; my mud
der, sab, called me her Jewel sab. De
reason dat my 1ader called me Gracious
was cause Mrs. Gracious called her chill
drcn her jewels" with dignity.
"Ah yes" said tho Justice, blandly,"
black diamonds, suppose. Arc you from
the Lehigh or Schuylkill region, Mr.. John
SOM"
"Needer, sab; was raised in ono of de
very fastest families in Wirginyah' "a little
indignantly.
"And what do you want with mo, sir?"
'Why," was the reply of the very respect
able looking African, edo case is jcs' dis:
Dis yer gal Cynthia says Use her husband.
I says Cooking fondly over the top Of what
nose he had) did belongs to Rose, dc Cd
der gal dar. We greed to come to you to
decide de question"
'This is singular proceeding, Crackers "
"Gracchus, sah-not Crackers. I told
yer that afore," interrupted the postulant
"Of course, certainly; go on, Mr.. Grac-
chus."
At this point the woman Cynthia losing
NIL patience, thrust crumplod mar
riago certificate under the face of the JUS
tice, with request for its immediate and
critical examination. 1t was certificate
of the marriage Of Gracious Johnson to
Cynthia Brown. Gracchus admitted that
the certificate was genuine, but claimed
and proved-that Cynthia was thief, that
he had married her in good faith, and that
she had just come from two years incar-
ceration in the county prison. In the
meantime he had welded Rose. After
listening to the facts of the case, Justice
Kerr looked very grave.
"This is serious business, Crackers"
''Not Crackers, sir, Gracious" was the
impatient remark of the puzzled object OF
SO much female attention.
"Well, Gracious, your case is certainly
a hard one, but you know what the Good
Book says: Whom the Lord hath joined
let no man put asunder.'"
"Well, sir, den why didn't de woman
behabe civil? Whar's dc use O. stealin--
whar's dc use2"
Certainly, there's no use in stealing,
Mr.. Gracious" replied tho Alderman. at
| is violatory of one Of the cardinal points OF
the decalogue. But you know that the OBJ
| legations OF matrimony are very sacred
Don't you remember tho charge made to
you in the course Of the ceremony, by the
magistrate who performedit?"
II do, sab; it was jes' free dollars"
81 don't mean that, sir; I mean the
counsel that he gave YOU"
'He didn't give me any counsel, sah."
"That's strange"
eyes, sab; de only counsel 1 got was
from der constable"
'.And what did he say2'
t'Why, only had two dollars and half,
and he tole me if I didn't bring the other
half dollar in dc mornin' he'd burst my
head"
"You're dismissed on your own recogni.
zance," said the magistrate, "until Thurs.
day next, at three o'clock. At that time
a decision will be rendered"
| The trio then departed as they came.