Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-10-15
A WOMAN ON THE BENCH.
The Great Joke of fWyOming-HOwf the
Ways Served Mrs. Judge Morris Hus-
band A Wife Committing her

y
band = Wife Committing her
Spouse.
Correspondence of the New York Sun
CHEYENNE, Oct. My last gave in
brief the history of the passage of the wo-
mans suffrage act in Wyoming. will
now give some of the practical workings of
WOman's suffrage and wOm&n's Offiee-hOld-
ing. The first action taken under the pro-
visions of this law was the appointment by
the Secretary, as acting Governor, of Mrs.
Esther Morris, of South Pass City, as a
Justice OF the Peace, for Sweetwater coun-
ty. Mrs. Morris qualified, ''remitted the usII-
all fee OF five dollars to the Secretary, and
entered upon the duties of her office Moth
ing unusual occurred for some days; every
body 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 notwith-
standing her womanly and wifely feeling,
she was compelled to drink it. Her better
half, who was now left in charge of the do
mestic department of the firm, had, previ-
Gus to his retirement to the sweets of do
mestic life, occasionally taken social glass
with his friends. Taking advantage of this
weakness, some friends waited upon Mr..
Morris one day, and having made Mr.
Morris drunk, led him into a breach Ofthe
peace, then fastened to the Esquire's office
and lodged complaint with her Honor
against her Honors "liege lord and MASTER
that used to be, and demanded a warrant
for his arrest. Mrs. Justice hesitated mo
ment on the banks of this woman's Rubi-
con, but like Cesar, 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 officers in obedience to
the courts order. Seeing that things had
changed somewhat, and that Othello's oc-
cupatiOn had been at least suspended, he
began to expostIllate first with the officer,
until informed by shat functionary officer
that he had no discretion, but was acting
under orders from the court.
"WhO is the court (hic)?" inquired Mr..
Morris. On being informed that the Oceu-
pant OF the bench was the Judge, Mr.. Nor
ris looked at the Justice with a 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 Esther-my
wife Esther, you're drunk, or-oh, don't
bother me (hic)," 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 mena-
cingly toward the Judge.
''YOu will find have all to say about it.
Officer, lock him up" replied her Honor.
Although badly mixed, Mr.. Morris began
to get glimmer of the truth, aud began
parley:
'.NOw look here, Mr.. Officer, don't YOU
be in a hurry. l didn't mean ANYTHING
wrong. want to just talk with my wife
a minute. Now, Esther, what's the use of
f0Olin'; you jist git down out of there, and
go home and behave YOURSELF III tend to
this little difficulty myself. Now 90 right
along, the baby wants nursing. | had TO
give it Mrs. WinslOw to get tito sleep when
l came down. He's hungry, for ne 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 of command again, and the officer
forced him into the rudely constructed lock-
up in rear of her HOnOr's court, and there
Mr.. Morris was left 10 reflect upon the stu
alton, and gaze upon the divided wall be-
tween himself and wife as the dividing line
between a mans and woman's rights under
the new dispensatiOn. -v
On the following morning Mr.. Morris was
arraigned before her Honor, and in the most
sober and subdued manner, and witllthe
deepest humiliation, pleaded guilty, asked
the pardon Of the court for contempt, begged
its ciemency and then awaited his sentence
with humility and resignation.
After giving the prisoner Caudle lecture
as amended by the laws of Wyoming, her
Honor imposed the usual fine and required
the prisoner TO give bonds to keep the peace,
upon which the court gallantly offered to let
him 90, and Mr.. Morris vanished