, 1874-06-28
A BLACK C0RONEn's JURY.

g some 80 or 40 tigers and panthers, and cons1t
i erabie number Of animals less ferocious.
A BLACK CORONER'S JURY.
= scencs In tho Land of mockinE Eslra
and Honey.
St'' SMYRNA Fla NAY a. corrs.po"a<"es @ ee se's To-
, Some time ago ons Black, = nulatto clerc,
man. 1ost overheard d bag Of tools while sailin
up Spruce Creek, 3 tributary Of the Halifax Rig
er. Among the blacks back was an importan
parsonage. He preached with great JUNCTION
week, did an occasional job Of carpenter
eastern coast Of Florida south q Q
: st. Augustine owning boiled shirt. The los
Of bis tools wss eerious misfortune. He coult
not give them up without endeavoring to re-
cover them. So reward of 81 was offered To-
their return. The news spread among the set
Elements, and negroes f1ocked to the shore O
Spruce Creek. They stripped. and began to div
: for the lost articles The water was so dee,
that they found 1t difficult to bring up bottom
Convinced that the chances were against them
all hut ono gare up the search. THIS ons was /
good swimmer, known as Ephraim.-
The plucky fellow spent several hou.s in tne
Mater, but finally caught q cramp. and was
drowned before Ms comrades could rescue him
They recovered the body, and were about to
bury it near the beach: when the circumstances
came to the ears OF Justice Sutton, an appointee
| " hlAo tA4 Pok-Uub IufbluUIs NuW IN tl0f1QA
the duties Of Coroners deyolve upon Justices OF
the Peace, at the rate OF $40 per corpse,
PAYABLE in State or county scrip. Justice
Sutton went for his $40 with the vim OF
Twelfth Ward politician. He ordeted an H.
quest Material for 4 jury was under his nose.
and he utilized it.. After the corpse was drawn
up under the palmessoes Ephralm's black COM
rades were impane1ed. It was an odd jury.
| One was without shirt, another without coat
= third destitute Of hat, and q fourth minus
| l1if of his naDtAjoO12 Thnra mt a ~
suspenders IN the whole party. Three wore COW
hide brogans without stockings; the others
we're barofootod. All vera greatly alar nod at
| the action OF the Justice. They loudly pro-
| of.
| Compose yourselves, gentlemen" said 3fr.
Sutton. You are not prisoners, but American
| clslzens called upon to fulfill duty whlch you
| owe to society"
Somebody dona to1e you g mighty lie
judge" interposed one OF the astonlshed ne
groes. "We neboer ONE no 'siety muffin. Don't
owe nobody muffin Mus be some oder culered
! mems sides we.''
'Oh, good Lord!" exclaimed the Justice,
You're not on trial. You are q iury-a Cor
oner's jury. You arc to ba sworn H. aud do
the hast you can undar the circumstances. No
body cares whether you owe anybody anything
or not"
The frightened negroes we're more than reas-
su1ed By this explanation. They began to az
sumo an air OF Importance.
AS have no Bible at hand" the Justice con-
tioued, "fou will be compelled to affirm. Hold
up your right hands,"
Am cat ali 'zactly right, Judgo?" asked orc
Of the proposed jurymen, wLosa trousers wesa
held IN place by an old ash line.
Certainly it's right" replied Sutton. "Why
Am 1t 'cordin' to de law?" was the next qucs-
sion. "'Cause 'ceptin' it am'nt 'cording' to de
law, us cuilered genUacns done don't hab muffin
to do wid dis yah murder"
''Why, good Lord man." exclaimed the JUS
tice, ''vho said it WAS murder? Everybody
can gee that its nothing but an accident"
"Weil. den,r concluded the auestioner, "why |
you done made al dis Yah fussin for"
1t isn't me-" the Justice answered. ats
directs me to impanel jury. That jury must
hear the evidence, retire. find out who tie dead
man is and how he came to his death. and re-
turn verdict in accordance With tho facts.
Can't you sees
The Justice WAS warming up. The negroes
looked as though they wanted to know MI about
it before they were sworn in.
''Hcw much you gw1ne to git for dis yah job.
Judge?" asked an2ther OF the inGpient jury
men.
''The law SLOWS me s10' said hIr. Sutton.
q But that has nothing to do With vour duties in
the case: Your course is explicitly laid down BY
the law"
The negroes conferred together for few mo-
meuts. Justice Sutton w2s becoming inpntieut,
wren one OF them sAepped over tic corpse and
asked him "whar do cu1le1ed man c3me in
''WIat do you mean ?" asked the asiounded |
civil officer.
:'De law done g,vine for to drop $40 for you,"
easd tho sapient Eesro- "What da Law done
gwine for to drop for We 2"
The law regards your work rs duty ron owe
to yourselves and society. aud don't allow you
anything" answered the Justice. 'sYou don'5
want pay for working for yourselves, do you?"
Den re finds de wardict and does all de
work. an you takes all the mouey-an dat de
law 2"
The law allows mo fee. and doesn't pro-
ride fee for you" indignantly responded Mr..
sutton. Hold up your right hands,"
dis yere's js like de ole pantasion times"
srumb1ed ono OF the darkes. "Ols n,aasa be
;;ot ali Dc money. an de cullered man he do all
1e work"
'Hold up your right hands," repeated the Jus
ice.
The negroes eyed him as it nedita.ing mu- I
my: . t /
''Hold up your right hands," thundered His
Honor.
Tho colored men hehitated Then one black
aand was raised slowly IN the air. Ths otnsss
ollowcd it Like the dnn1b b!ackbirds OF Shoot
ng-;gallery. The Justice repeatcd tha oath bat c
liz hearers remained dumb.
"Say We do he shouted. c
''Ne do," ECHOED the trembling negroes.
"Lovcr your hands, commanded tile Justice,
nd the blackbirds dropped from their pc:chcA.
he jury tLen s4uatted upon the furzo about
ile uElH uiAN 1lcI Were COHed, 0ut NOT con- |
inced that everything was right
Il Gentlemen spoke tho Justice, after all had I
quatted, you are sworn to perform the :
llucsions OF tie law. Tue lay is explicit ia its
efnl.ion Of the duties OF :. Corouer's jury. The I.
III prescriltes that testimony shall he takan. c
Il this Case that is Z nero matter Of form, for :
ou yourselves were witnesses of tile death Of l
bis man. The 1aw. however requires that you > .
hall carefully weigh the evidence, ascertain how q
le man died. who lie was. aud 10 on. This you G
i'll do bv virtue OF your oaths as jurors" Il
Tho witnesses were then Produced Thoir g
Vidence was very clear. Ephra,m had gone into b
10 water with the intention Of making m hon
st dollar by diving for Parson Blacks tools. o
'hile his companions watched HIM from the u
ank Of tho stream. he SAINT, and was not seen
gain until his body WAS grApplcd and drawn l.
shore. Tho jury eagcrly listened to ell that
as said, but asked no questions. They wcro
Fidently af1ald Of the Justice, aal looked upoa
10 wholo thing sort If |oudou ceremony. ! e.
ls Honor sumu,oa up by saying: Gentlcmcu, q
III will now reure, and after carefully Weighing lC
10 testimony return with ye,dict."
The jury withdrew to the sciub. Their voices ~
ere soon heard above the music OF the mock
s-biraa who had gathered in the trees abou.
ein. The negroes wero having hot dispute, | Il,
Id the birds scanned to BIO eniOTiao the sceue | i,