Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-08-10
POLICE COURT.
An Ethiopian Witness Makes Sport for
the Audience.


the Audience.
There was long session of the Police
Court yesterday, though no cases of impor.
tance were tried. One case furnished con.
siderable amusement fer the usual crowd
of listeners. Z. NJ. Leitch had caused the
arrest of John R. Curry for disturbing the
peace by calling him Tile names in front
of the Western Hotel. Curry claimed that
one of Mr.. Leitch's teamsters had run into
his wagon with his truck and bent the
axle. and that all he did was to demand
pay for the damage from Mr.. Leitch. The
latter testified that he, the defendant, had
never asked him to pay for the damage, but
had approached him and called him foul
names. He had told him to 60 and have
his wagon fixed and bring him the bill and
he would pay it.
George Green, colored bootblack at the
Western HoIel, was witness for the pros
eeution, and created an infinite amount of
amusement. He is perfect type Of the
Ethiopian race black as the ace of spades.
and with mouth as big as George Mari
on's when he is made up for the minstrel
stage. be was evidently religiously in
cllned, and abhorred the use OF bad lam
guage. The City Attorney had great diff
Guilty in getting him to repeat the
language used by the defendant to
Mr.. Leitch, and when he finally.
with most comical puckering of his thick
lips, gave expression 10 the awful language,
the entire audience broke out in such a
roar of laughter that Bailff Rider was ter
ribly shocked and demanded Order in
Court in the most frantic manner. When
the witness was cross-examined by Frank
81 (, ., g.. i II. l.
had to repeat his demand for order several
times, as the darky fairly used up the
young attorney in his answers to the oues-
tions put to him.
Did you receive any pay for coming
here to give your testimony ?" asked the
attorney.
No sab 1 didn't receive any vet an
doesn't know 'zackly whar Use gwine to
look fo' any. If you has any provision in
yo' schedule of evidence for sich cases I'd
like TO get some"
" You appear to be very dull or modest
about giving your testimony. Are you al
ways that way in Court?n asked Mr.. Ests-
brook.
" Guess Use smart enough to fit dis case.
Don you think so?' queried the negro.
with broad grin.
presume you are so modest that this
langua5 5e disturbed your peace, too?"
" So 1t did, sab | don use no such
spressions, an don like to hyar no man
use EN-, an it hurt me. had no idee Mr.
Leitch would stan it. l wouldn't have
man cuss me that way TO- two hundred
dollahs r'
That is all" said the attorney. as he
dropped back in his chair.
a." You don want no mo ?" inquired the
cunning darky with sarcastic grin, and
then turning 10 the Judge heasked modest
ly: Yo' Honah, does / get any pay for
this? ?''
Judge Buckley informed him that there
was no provision for paying witnesses in
the Police Court and he departed. Curry
was found guilty and fined $40
After the sentence was pronounced Mr..
Leitch arose, and said that though he had
never been asked for the money, if his
teamster broke Curry's wagon he was will
ing to pay for the damage. He understood
the Claim was 81 80, and handed that
amount to Curry's attorney.
The case of All Jim, charged with gam
ing, was continued until to-day.
Joe Meyerhoffer pleaded guilty to being
drunk, and was fined $40. Frank Wilson
and Frank Kelly pleaded guilty to vagrancy,
and were each sentenced to thirty days in
the county Jail, but the commitments were
H.
The case of Mrs. Peter Burns, charged with
disturbing the peace was continued until
to-day, the defendant pleading not guilty.
VIII. Mcpherson, the negro who passed
pawnbrokers advertisement upon Mrs
Anderson for a five-dollar greenback,
pleaded guilty to charge of petit larceny
and was ordered to pay fine OF $50, or go
to the county jail for thirty days Not hav-
ing any other piece of money he accepted
the latter alternative
VIM. Mcintyre was fined $40 for being
drunk, in default of the payment of which
he will serve ten days in jail.
When the case of Charles Roberts,
charged with battery and carrying con-
cealed weapon, was called, il was found
that the defendant had not yet been appre-
hended. At the time of his arrest a friend
put up deposit of $50 for his appearance
and Roberts left town. a bench warrant
was issued and officer Arlington made a
trip 10 Dunsmuir after the fugative but
did not find him. The case was continued
until August 23d. to allow the officers to
bring Roberts in if possible and save the
deposit his friend.
Mrs. Crossley was put upon trial on
charge OF petit larceny, preferred by Kate
Maechler. The parties live in the same
house, on the alley between Thirteenth
and Fourteenth, J and K streets. and the
prosecuting witness testified that while she
was absent some one stole from her room
demIjohn of blackberry juice and that
she found it in Mrs. Crossley's room At
this stage of the proceedings the defendant
was taken suddenly ill. and al the request
of her attorney, f. w. Baker the case was
continued until to-day.