Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-26
THE B0YNE WATER.
Susan Green Sang 1t in Basin Alley
and Two Lawsuits Resulted.
SHE DID NOT KNOW ITS EFFECTS.
Mrs. Mary Shields Objected and Was Sued
rs q Common Scold.
CURIOUS HEARING BEFORE MKENNA
But the COlOred Woman Lost the Case and Was Forced
10 Pay the Costs.

10 Pay the Costs
Another woman was tried as a common
scold yesterday. Such trials are very rare,
and serve as reminders of the old blue
laws still in existence. The prosecutrix lost
the case.
There was an interesting and funny hear
ing before Magistrate McKenna yesterday
afternoon. Mrs. Mary Shields, who lives in
Basin alley, in the Seventh ward, was pros
ecuted by Miss Susan Green, on the charge
of being q common scold. This charge is
one that is rarely made. The law is an old
one and seldom employed. Men acquainted
with the court history of this city remember
only one case, that of Mrs. Wick, who was,
some time ago, convicted in the Criminal
Court of being common scold.
Mrs. Shields is fine looking woman, of
excellent figure and attractive face. Her
bearing in the magistrates Office was very
modest. The prosecutor is a tai, well
formed colored woman, of decidedly dark
color and great volubility Of language. She
lives across the alley from Mrs. Shields.
The latter was defended by Attorney WILL
lam ]. Bremen. The rooms were crowded
by the neighbors of the parties to the suit.
Miss Green was solemnly sworn. Lean
ing upon the magistrates desk and empha-
sizing her points by tapping the official on
the knee, she told her tale of woe. She
said: ''This re woman called me coon and
q nigger and an ape. Now, 1 know I'm
black. know that just as well as any
body, an don't need to be tole that I'm
Niger. I know it, Squire, deed do.
Nobody don't have to tell me. 1 says to
her, SAYS /, 'Et 1 was white / wouldn't
talk to no niggers. She comes out at her
door and calls me all sorts O. names, and
she had two little children call me a coon,
too. That's what she done, your honor.
She tole one woman that she'd give six
months Of her life to send me to the work
house. She said was tough, and she can't
prove it, neither. That's what she can't do.
lived there nine years, and 1 never got in i
law suit before. The neighbors told me
not to have any back talk with her, cause
she'd sue me. She will sue, too, Squire.
She will sue.
M'KEENA's QUESTION.
"You were sued by her for disorderly con-
duct, were you not?" Alderman McKenna
asked. The prosecutor replied, eyes, sir,
was That was last week. Ihad to pay the
costs They could prove nothing, though,
or I'd been fined, wouldn't I?''
Attorney Bremen took the lady in hand
and inquired, "DO you sing the Boyne
Water?"
Eyes, sir; 1 do sing it often
Weren't you singing it that day she had
you arrested?''
"'Deed don't know whether 1 was or
not 1t might a been. 1 do sing it,
Don't you know that it is a very serious
otfense to sing the Boyne Water in this
country?''
II didn'i know nothing about it. Deed
1 didn't / wouldn't a sung it if I'd
knowd it would make trouble. .They'se all
Irish around there, that's a fact. I'm the
only colored person living there. 1t was
Irish that learnt me that song, though. 1t
was Rosa and Julia Moore learnt me.''
isn't 1t probable that they did it for the
purpose of getting you into trouble?''
"Pshaw now; deed they didn't. Why,
they'se only little girls. They wouldn't
never think of such thing"
Alderman MeKenna gravely remarked:
''This will be lesson to YOU. You will
know after this not to sing the Bovne
Water. You are old enough to know bet
ter"
Mrs. Brown, Mrs. McCurdv and Mrs.
Reed, white neighbors of Miss Green, were
called and sworn. Mrs. Brown said she
heard Mrs. Shields call Susan a coon. Mrs.
McCurdy said she heard Mrs. Shields say
that she would like to send ''that coon' to
the workhouse. Mrs Reed said: 81 saw
her wsgging her fingers one day, but 1
didn't know whether she was doing it st
Miss Green or at me. was going past Just
then, and didn't know who she was doing
it at. Mrs. Shields called me names once.
but 1 never spoke to the woman
SHE WASN'T oUARRELsoME.
"Aren't you quarrelsome YOURSELF" asked
Mr. Brennan.
mo, sir; don't quarrel with nobody"
Didn't you have a quarrel with Mrs.
MARTINI"
'No, sir, not what anybody could call a
quarrel. She came over to my door and
sassed me. I told her to keep on her own
side Of the alley. That's all 1 said. That's
what everybody ought to do, Squire, keep
on their own side. That's what do. I
don't 60 quarreling with anybody"
These three women were asked if they had
heard Miss Green singing the Boyne
Water. Only one of them had heard her
sing it. Policeman John Sommerville was
called as a witness by Miss Green, but he
said he had not heard or seen any improper
conduct by Mrs. Shields. He thought that
she had good reputation. He was asked
II he had heard Susan singing the Boyne
Water, but with a smile he said that he had
not heard her commit such an overt act.
Mr.. Brennan moved that the defendant
be discharged. Alderman MeKenna said
that case had not been made out under the
the law. He discharged Mrs. Shields and
assessed the costs on Miss Susan Green.
That colored lady was struck dumb for
few seconds. She was unable to speak. She
finally fell upon the 'Squire's desk and told
her story all over again. One by one the
other people slipped out of the Office. As
the shades Of evening were closing in con-
stable looked in at the window and saw the
magistrate and Miss Green still engaged in
the argument. The Squire looked pale and