Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-07-18
A COMMON SCOLD.
An Ancient Statute Revived in
q New Jersey Court.
hrs BRADrs PROUD DISTINCTION.

The FIRST Conviction Under the Common
Law Residents o. Jersey City Appear
IL Court Against > shrewish Neighbor.
The Public Prosecutor LAments che Ex-
tincsion d the DucIxing stool.
JERsEY Cry, July 1e.-Afrs. Mary
Brady, Of this city, has had another
overwhelming honor thrust upon her.
She has the distinction Of being the first
Jersey lady 10 be convicted as COM
mon ecold under the common law.
Prosecutor Winfield said he was sorry
that the ducking stool was abolished,
but Mrs. Brady, who had accumulated
220 pounds OF fat and O ginger temper
In her 60 odd years Of life, wasn't sorry
bit.
She was on trial before Judge Lippin-
colt in the Hudson county court Of gem
eral sessions for scolding her neighbors
and making q general nuisance Of her.
self TO Van Horn street, Lafayette, and
half an eve could discern that deter
mined little Mrs. Winifred Doody, in
trim attire and iron gray hair, was there
for business.
A Censorfous Tongue.
Mrs. Do0dy and Pat, her husband, tes-
titled that Mrs. Brady had scolded. them,
severally and collectively, every time
they presumed TO appear on Van Horn
street, and Mr.. DOody read from his
weather record that on one occasion Mrs.
Brady apOstrophized the evening air and
the Jersey mosquitoes from 4 p. m. till /
o'clock the next morning, stating in a
loud tone her opinion of the DOodys.
Mr.. Doody went TO bed then, and when
lie arose for breakfast Mrs. Brady had
ceased scoIding.
Mrs. Jane Stranahan and her husband,
her unfortunate neighbors, and Mrs.
Minnie Rice, of 127 Perry street, this
city, who had made calls in Van Horn
street, testified to having heard Mrs.
Brady scold everybody, from the gro
GERS boy TO the parson, and Mrs. Fred
erika Marshall related that she had a
straight month"; OF abuse from Mrs.
Brady, next door to whom she lived, till
she was forced to find another house to
move into.
Gentle as q Dove In Court.
Mrs. Brady listened to all this testi-
mony in submissive horror. Her little
eyes rolled wildly and her fat face and
neck blushed scarlet.
Then Max Salinger called her to the
stand. She was as gentle as cooling
dove. Her tongue was as oily as a sar-
dine and her voice as subdued and ten
der as q mothers lullaby. 1t would be
unladylike and far beneath one of her
family to scold anybody, especially
those beneath them in social position,
she said, and she called upon Barney,
her husband, to say whether she scolded
or not. He had liyed with her twenty
nine years and was still alive to tell it.
The Meek and Lowly Lesser Half
Bernard Brady, like a dutiful hus-
band. declared that beyond few re-
marks on his beng out late of nights,
his bigger half had always displayed a
remarkably sweet temper and had Law
ished honeyed words upon him all these
years.
Mr.. Brady weighed about half as much
as his wife. He might play hide and
seek around her ample person and the
only question asked by Prosecutor VIM
field. Ii cross examination. was. .sHow
much did you weigh when you were
married9'
Mr.. Brady's reply was lost in the
laughter that followed and in less than
five minutes the jury agreed upon a
verdict Of Guilty of being d common
scold and nuisance to the neighbOr-
hood.
Mrs. Brady went home under bail and
will be sentenced later in the week.
The ducking stool has been abolished
and Mrs. Brady may be punished by fine
or Imprisonment not more than two
years, scolding being misdemeanor.