The daily gazette., 1879-04-14
"a SQUAR' GAME"

4 Coiored Minister Falls Into the
Hands of the Ungodiy-T They Try TO
Beat him on a Trick, but he Proposes
"A SqrGr' Game" for from So to $500.
Henry Jackson ana Charles Fish, both
colored, were arrested and brought up in
the Police Court at Cincinnati, jackson
for practicing trick game and Fish Tor
being known thief. The prosecuting
witness was Rev. VIM. ii. Taylor, a mid
dle-aged coiored preacher from Clermont
county, upon whom, accoding to his story,
these young men had attempted to prac-
tice their sinful games, and, failing In this,
robbed him OF "A sum Of money after he
bad offered to play them square game
for from So TO $500. jackson and Fish
entered plea of not guilty, and Rev.
Mr.. Taylor was called to The stand. lie
was a fine type of the colored minister
that we read about, and took his place
on the stand, with his tile in his hand
and an od-fashioned fur overcoat hang
ing over his arm. HIS clothes were shiny
black, and his spectacles were tied to-
! gether behind with faded blue string.
He was not at all disconnected by the
attention he attracted, and gave his tes-
timony in a loud and earnest tone OF
voice, as if delivering a sermon.
I'se proprietor of raghouse," he be-
gan, san came to town wifi few rags
to seel an met desc two young men an
de dump near de Little Miami Depot"
"You are also a minister, believe ?"
said Judge Wilson.
ayes, sab; preach de Gospel. Dat
man dah," pointing to Jackson, "stopped
me on lie dump when | was on my way
| to see all old white man about buyin'
some rags, an said he had a little trick
dat he wanted to show me. 1t wor some
kim of game with cards"
A number of square cards and string
| were here produced, which the witness
| identified as the same exhibited by Jack
son.
| 81 tole him." continued the witness,
''to go long; dat | were church man,
| and didn't know muffin bout cards. He
insisted dat l should Try it, an wanted
Inc to drap dc string in de box an see if
| could catch it. | lole him l war church
man, an didn't want any trick wild his
game. Den dat man," pointing to Fish.
che KEN out from under de bridge, an
said il war easy, an dat | should try it
anyhow. He KEEP comm closer an
closer, an finally he put his hans on me,
an said it wor an easy game when you
knowed how. Den one Of dem caught
bold of me, an de older one" pointing
again to Fish, "put his hans i'll my pock-
ct an took my money. Before day dey
talked bout gettin' me down over de
dump, an givin' me punch. an den
takn' my pocket-book. Before dey took
my money dey kept pesterin' me bout
de game, an dat made me mad. | tole
dem if dey mus hab game, If muffin
but game would satisfy dem. TO come
down on de river bank, an | would give
dem a squar' game for S. to $500.
Prosecutor Murphy asked the witness
if that would not have confllcted with
the doctrine that he eXpounded from the
pulpit.
He hesitate moment, and the Court
came to his relief by answering that it
would not conflict if it We're a square
| game, and that was the kind witness pro-
posed to play.
Rev. Mr.. Taylor resumed his story, aud
was fast drawing the scene to the river
bank, where the square game was to be
played, but the Court thought further de
| tails were unnecessary, and he was eX-
cused from the stand to maze an aftiday-
it against Fish for petit larceny.
| Major Travis, the colored barrister, ap-
peartd for the defendants, and said that
III his opiuon, his clients ought not to he
| held on the statement of the Rev. Mr.
Taylor, whom he recognized as a gentle
man who had been in this Court, under
Judge Linderman on charge of stealing
| chickens, and was sent to the Work
house for nine months. He swoIe Oh that
stand then that his mind was affected
that 1t came and went, and he wanted tC
he sent before the Probate Court, but The
Judge thought the Work. house would
about fit him.
Judge Wilson suggested that this was
very unchristian way to talk about a
minister, but the Majors Dutch was up
so to speak, and he continued to presen,
the Rev. Mr.. Taylor in somewhat unfa
vorable light.
The eolored minister asked time to pro
duce another witness, and the case wa
held over until to day, and Jackson ant
Fish locked up.