Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1871-10-20
Correspondence of the New York Sun.
AWOman ON the Bench.

Correspondence OF the new 1ork oun
A Woman ON the Bench.
THE GREAT JOKE OF wYoMINa-How THE
wAes SERVED MRS. JUDGE MoRRIs's Hus-
BANDA WIFE COMMITTING HER SPOUSE.
Cheyenne, Oct My last gave in brief
the history of the passage of the Woman's
Suffrage act in Wyoming [ will now give
some Of the practical workings Of woman
suffrage and women ofice-holding The
first action taken under the provisions of this
law was the appointment by the Secretary, as
acting Governor, of Mrs. Esther Morris, Of
South Pass City, as Justice of the Peace,
for Sweetwater county. Mrs. Morris qnal.
flied, ''remitted the usual fee of IS" to the
Secretary, and entered upon the duties Of
her office. Nothing unusual occurred for
some days; everybody was satisfied with
the new Justice. and the new Justice with
everybody. One day, however the wine Of
bitterness was mixed in her cup Of bliss,
and notwithstanding her womanly and wife
ly feeling, she was compelled to drink it,
Her better half, who was now left in charge
Of the domestic department of the firm, had,
previous to his retirement to the sweets of
domestic life, occasionally taken q social
glass with his friends. Taking advantage
of this weak ness some friends waited upon
Mr.. Morris one day, and having made Mr..
Morris drunk, led him into breach of the
peace, then FASTENED to the esquire's Office
and lodged complaint with her Honor
against her Honor's sliege lord and mas
ter" that used to be- and demanded war
rant for his arrest Mrs. Justice hesitated
moment on the banks of this woman's Ru.
bicon, but like Caesar she was equal to the
emergency, and promptly crossed into her
lords dominions, and her former master
was dragged before her for trial
Mr.. Morris head was not sufficiently
clear to comprehend the situation. He be-
gan to assert his sovereign rights in con-
tempt of court, until suddenly brought up
by the officer in obedience to the courts or.
der. Seeing that things had changed some
what, and that Othello's occupation had
been at least suspended. he began to expos
tulate first with the officer, until informed
by that funotionary officer that he had no dis
erection, but was acting under orders from
the court.
"Who is the court chic ?') inquired Mr..
Morris. On being informed that the occu.
pant Of the bench was the judge, Mr. Nor
ris looked at the Justice with puzzled air,
scratched his head in an effort to collect his
scattered thoughts, and calculated "Her
-her-(hic)-you id fool-she's my
wife (hic)- she is-that's E ther-my
Mife Esther-you're drunk, or-oh, don't
bother me chic, y and he started to go,
''Lock up the prisoner for contempt of
court" said Mrs Morris to the officer.
"What have you to say about it, eh -
blurted out Mr.. Morris, staggering menac-
ingly toward the Judge.
''You will find have all to say about it.
Officer lock him up" replied her Honor.
Although badly mixed, Mr.. Morris be-
gan to get a glimmer of the truth, and be-
gan parley ~
'Now look here. Mr.. Officer. don't you
be in hurry. l didn't mean anything
wrong. want to just talk with my wife a
minute. Now Esther, what's the use of
foolin ; you jist cit down out Of there, and
60 home and behave yourself. III tend to
this little difficulty myself Now 60 right
along, the baby wants nursing. had to
give it Mrs. Winslow to get it to sleep when
! came down He's hungry. for he won't
use that old bottle, and don't blame him
either. The dishes amt washed, nor the
beds made, neither. And what's more,
amt goin' to do it any more, now. You
hear that, Now start along"
By the time Mr.. Morris had delivered
himself of this, his tone had changed as his
feeling warmed from that of expostulation
to that command again, and the officer forced
him into the rudely constructed lookup in
rear of her Honor's court, and there Mr..
Morris was left to reflect upon the situation,
and gaze upon the dividing wall between
himself and wife as the dividing line be.
tween mans aud woman's rights under
the new dispensation.
On the following morning Mr.. Morris
was arraigned before her Honor, and in the
most sober and subdued manner, and with
the deepest humiliation, pleaded guilty,
asked the pardon Of the court for contempt,
begged its clemepey and then awaited his
sentence with humility and resignation.
After giving the prisoner Caudle leo
ture as amended by the laws Of Wyoming,
her Honor imposed the usual fine and re.
quired the prisoner to give bonds to keep
the peace. upon which the court CALAMITY
offered to let him go, and Mr. Morris van.
ished.