The Caucasian. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1874-1875, 1874-08-01
A FLORIDA JURY.
Intelligent Coloyed Citizens Find q
Novel Verdict In Regard to
tho Death Of Poor Old
Ephriam. ..' /"
Wciglli,Dy the Evidence.

\ correspondent Of the n. y. SIN
writing from New Smyrna, Florida
gives the following Imaginable &C
count Of an inquest RECENTLY hel'
in lhnL place under somewhat pe
CnlIar circumstances
Some time ago ono Black, y mu
latto clergyman, lost overheard :
bag Of tools while sailing up Spruce
Crcch, 4 tributary Of the Ilalita,
river. Among the blacks Hl;r,l
was An important parsonage. RI,
preached with great unction, collect
"d n I'n'ful oi small stamps once :
week, did an occasional job OF car
pcntrring, and was tho only negro
on tlocastcrn coast of Florida own
ing boiled shirt. Tho loss Of his
tools was n serious misfortune. II,
r"nld not give them np without en-
drnvorlng to recover them. So u
reward oi one dollar was offered tu,
their rctH,m. The news spread
among the settlements, and negroes
locked I" III" shore "r Spruce
Creek. They stripped, and began
to dive for 'Ic lost articles. T,,c
water was 80 deep that they found
il difficult I" bring mp bottom. Con.
rln'V'l that the chances were against
them. all but one gavcup the search.
Ih's ono was good swimmer.
known as Ephram.
THE FATE OF POOR rrHRrAM.
The r|"cky fellow spent several
hours III the water hut iinnl!,
caught cran'. and was drowned
before his comrades cou'd rescue
him. They recovered the body and
were about to bur, it near the
beach, when the circumstances came
~ t,rca Of Justice Sutton. IN ~
p"Intce Of the carpet l'ng Governor.
Now in Florida the duties of coro-
ncrs devolvc upon Justices Of the
peace at the rate Of ten dollars per
corpse, payable in state or county
scrip Justice s., went for his ten
dollars Will, the vim Of d Twelfth
ward politician. lie ordered an in
quest. Material for the jury was m.
der his nose and he utilized it. Al.
ter the corpse was drawn mp under
the pa'mct.ocs Ephriam's black com
rades were impanncllcd. 1t was an
odd Jury. One was without u shirt,
another without coat, Il third dcs
tlt"t" OF II hat and Il fourth minus
Of his rantaloons. There was not
4 pair "t Suspcndcrs in tho whole
party. Three wore cowl,ilc bro
gAns. without stockings the others
were b"rctOotcu. All were greatly
ut the action Of the Justice.
They loudly proclaimed their iuno.
"ncr, and begged to he let of.
"tompoSc yourselves, gentle
men, said Mr.. $. "lom ar. not
prisoners, but American citizens
called upon I" fulfil Il duty which
yCu Owe to society,"
'Somrbohy t"lr YOU Il mighty lie,
Judge" intcrposrh one of the nc.
grocS. "Wr ;,chcr owe no 'siety
muffin. Don't owe nobody muffin.
Mus be some uddcr cullcrcd men
sides we
"Oh. good Lorh,' exclaimed the
jns'icc. "iou'rc not on trial. You
are .lnry--a c"ronrrs jury. You
arc to hc sworn in, and do the best
v"u can under the circumstances. =
Nobody cares whether you owe any |
'odS anything or not.'
a FEW SIMPLE QUESTIONS.
J he frightened negroes were more
han re assured 10y this explanation.
Ihry began to assume an mir OF i'm.
,ortancr.
"AS have no Bible mt hand"
he justice continued, "vou will bc
compelled to affirm. Hold up your
light hands,
".\m dat al 'zactly right, Judge :"
'>ked one "t the proposed jury men,
whose trousers were held i'm place
" III old fish liuc.
"tcrta'nly il is right replied S.,
why not -
Am it 'rorling to de law p was
hr ne\t question. "Cause 'ccptin'
I a'n'nt ,cordn' to dc law, us cul-
cred gcmnnrns done don't hab nuf
in TO do w'd dis yah mnrdcr.'
"Why, good Lord, man." "cxclaim-
At the Justice, ''who said it was !,
murder! Everybody can sec that
Is nothing but an accident"
"NcIl dcn, concluded the qucs-
'oncr, "w''v yom dome made All dis