The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1872-03-07

it proved a Success Evidences on
both s.des-Women in Office and in
Court.
CHEYENNE, Dec. 12-In view of the
effort just made by the Legislature of this
Territory to repeal the Woman Suffrage
Act, which failed on its final passage
over the Governor veto by one vote in
the Council a review of the practical
workings Of this institution in our Terri
tory for the past two years will be of in
terest at this time to an Eastern public,
whose knowledge of l.oman's Suffrage
is entirely one of theory.
In December, 1869, the Legislature of
Wyoming, consisting principally of single
men, who we're naturally admirers of the
gentler sex. and in this case enthusiastic
on account of the scarcity of female incl
dent to frontier life. passed bill confer
Ing the right of suffrage upon women.
This was truly maiden effort. The OBJ
ject was, first, to attract the fair ones to
the country for their own good of course;
and second, to create society, and per-
haps homes for themselves. lone bachel-
ors of the plains, and eventually to in
crease the census of the Territory. It is
possible, however, the second was the
welghtler reason although it has a
flavor Of the policy of Brigham Young.
The first action takeneunder this law,
was the appointment Of female Justice
of the Peace who qualified and entered
upon the duties of the Office. For a time
the position was somewhat embarrassing
to the newly made Judge. Leaving law
aside. she had no truble in delivering he1
charges and sentences with grace and
elegance. Buts when called to decide
upon points of Jaw and the objections
exceptions, demurrers and pleadings OF
attorneys, who seemed to take a mali
clous delight in confusing and befogging
the poor Justice, she was extremely en-
barrased for law and law terms to ex-
press In techanical language, her views of
the case. The lawyers would cite and
submit authorities which the Justice
would gravely examine before rendering
decisions, that form an interesting study
to the students in search of the latest
rulings and presidents. 1t is asserted by
malicious Wag that the lawyers were in
the habit of asking an adjournment of
court after the evidence was in, and the
costs all made and fees received, and re-
firing to decide the suit by game OF
seven-up, as the Judge always agreed
with the last speaker, and allowed an In
terminiable debate between counsel re-
gardless OF the rules of opening and clos
Ing OF arguments. Both could not speak
last and neither was willing to yield the
advantage of the last word, SO dear to
woman and SO powerful with this Judge.
L will not vouch for this, as I did not
witness 1T, but IL seems to illustrate the
feeling if not the fact.
HER HUSBAND TRIED BY FEMALE
JUDGE.
H5wever, the Judge was winning COL
den opinions from the heart of the pub
lie. One thing only lacked test-the SUI
premacy in woman's breast of Justice over
love. Some wellmeaning, but never
theless heartless, people sought an occa-
sion for this text, and after getting the
Justice s once liege lord drunk, had him
arrested and brought before her Honor
on a charge Of disorderly conduct. The
scene In the court was instructive. pathet-
lc and amusing The husband was too
drunk to appreciate the difference be-
tween the old and the new state ofthines
between bis wife at home and her Honor
upon the bench. The prisoner demurred
to the authority of the Court, and swore
1t had no jurisdiction in his case. Upon
this verbal affidavit he declared he should
take change Of venue, and started for
the door in contempt of the order of the
court. The officer was here directed by
her Honor to lock the prisoner up till
morning. He resisted, but the order was
obeyed, and the poor disgraced husband
was left IN the lookup by the order of
his wife to ponder upon the situation.
He thought of his past, with his power,
and contrasted it with his present and
his weakness. Othello's occupation was
evidently gone. Imprisoned by the word
OF his once obedient wife On the fol.
lowing morning he appeared in court an
altered man. Ho humbly entreated the
Judge for mercy, pleading in extenuation
that it was his first offense and under
peculiarly trying circumstances, when he
was not himself. and thought the court
was not itself The latter illusion had
been forever dispelled from his mind and
he assured her Honor that it should
never occur again in public or private.
Her Honor said she would not impose
the fine for contempt of court, as in this
case she deemed it contempt of the
person and not of the authority of the
court. She could pardon this; but, as
the charge on which the prisoner had
been brought before that court was an
ofense against the public, the court
would be compelled to impose the usual
tine. As the prisoner was out of funds,
the Judge offered to go upon his bond
ior the payment of the fine and costs.
The grateful husband was about leaving
the court, when her Honor detained him
'one moment while she applied the
moral lesson, thus brought home, to the
prisoners mind. lie stood before the
bar IN the presence of the court and an
q muSa.l au2ianna rhi,h