St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-08-13
VERY SP0oNY.
4 Wise Judge Decided They Had
Perfect Right to Be.

Atlanta Constitution.
It has. been established as a legal
principle that a man can kiss his
wife on the street with impunity,
without fear of the law, or without
interfering with public peace or good
order. And he may not only kiss
his wife, but he may hug her to
his hearts content
The principle of law giving affec-
tionately disposed husbands that
right and privilege was exemplifed
in the police court yesterday morn
ing. NJ. NJ. WEIGH, councilman from
the Second ward, was presiding
The court established that there was
not anything particularly harmful in
a man kissing his wife on the street,
although the court did not consider
it in keeping with good etiquette.
The important decision was rem
dered in the case OF Ezekiel Martin,
a United States soldier at FIT. Nc
Pherson, who was arrested by Pa
trolman Phillips on the charge Of
disorderly conduct, the particulars OF
which. were that Martin and wife en-
engaged in a series Of pyrotechnic dis
plays of love and affection on the
lively thoroughfare Of Peters street.
The couple, according to Officer Phil
lips, created a great deal of conster-
nation and indignation in the minds
of, all law-a.biding citizens in the
vicinity of Peters and Fair streets,
where the display Of love between
man. and wife is said to have oc-
in the case the court dismissed it
with the opinion stated.
Martin said that he met his wife on
Peters street, and as she was then go
ing away TO visit her grandmother, he
kissed her, not thinking II was against
any law for a man TO kiss his wife. The
evidence in the case showed that he did
more than kiss his wife. however. Two
young men testified that Martin warm
~ embraced his wife on divers sec
lions of Peters street for a distance of
several blocks, and that the perform
ance created a disturbance and disor-
der in the locality of Peters and Fair
streets, so sensational did it become
The couple fairly reveled in the per-
Torrance OF bidding each other a long
farewell, the festivities being prolonged
for such a length of time that q. police
man arrived on the scene and arrested
the afectionate husband, complaint
having been made To him by W. f
Wesley, a storekeeper and others, of
the conduct Of the man ana woman.
After hearing the evidence, the court
said that the disorderly conduct charg-
ed had not exactly been established in
his mind. the court not being able to
see anything particularly harmful in
a man kissing his wife on the street, or
elsewhere, although it might not be
exactly "Peachtree etiquette" The
court didn't think there was anything
disorderly or immoral in a man kissing
and hugging his wife, and he dismissed
the case.
Martin and his happy consort left the
court room bean1ing with satisfaction
and a picture of marital felicity on
their faces. The woman occupied
seat in the rear of of the court room
during the trial. and was an interested
spectator. When last seen they were
going up Decatur street hand in hand,
congratulating each other on having
been the means of establishing a prln-
ciple OF law that may be hailed with de-
light and joy by every affectionately
disposed husband and wife in the coun-
trV