The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-28
roo BLUE FOR HIM.
Fled From Connecticut to Escape
the DeacOns.
From the Bridgeport Union

From the Bridgeport Union.
The story from the Morning Union about
the Punishment of the father of Daniel A.
Porter, of San Jose, Cal, from this state
IN the early Blue law days, for cutting his
finger nails in church, was reproduced in
the San Jose Evening News, where il met
the eye of Mr.. Porter. with the result that
1t has been revised The Morning Union
had the story from an aged woman who
nursed Mr. Porter in his youthful DAYS.
and she told it as she remembered it, The
Punishment it seems, according to Mr.
News says:
Some time ago an article appeared in
the evening News, reproduced from the
Bfidteport Conn.,, Union, telling of a Wis
1t to that city of Daniel Porter. of san
Jose, and who declined to remain twentv-
TOUR hours in that state because his father
mad been banished, when bow under the
blue laws" for cutting his nails in church.
The article probably referred to Daniel j.
Porter, the real estate agent of this city
Mr.. Porter in speaking of the matter, said
10 reporter of the Evening News:
II IS true that my father, when a boy
OF 10 years, was caught in the act of cut
ting his nails in church, that is he had
on open pen-knfe in his hand and it was
naturally concluded that he was going to
cut his nails, as il was decided that he
could nave opened the knife for no other
purpose, as there was nothing else near
az hand he would have been likely to use
the blade upon.
He was seated in the balcony of the
old church in Bridgeport, which by the
sway was still standing few years ago
when l visited the place. He was pref
~ wei up toward the pulpit and in view
OF the pastor. 1t was not the tytheing-
man who discovered his alleged crime,
but the pastor. The boy, who was some
what weared by the long sermon which
We're in vogue in those days, was startled
from a reYerie by the minister's calling
his name:
vice.
"The boy saw that the minister's fnge,
pointed at him. The entire congregation
turned in that direction. He found an
| open pen knife in his hand While the
| pastor had called him Daniel, he knew
| his name was Dennis.
| 'Deacons so and so will also remain
| after service continued the pastor and
| he proceeded with his sermon.
! Ihe boy was arraigned before the
| deacons, found guilty, fined 81 and tht
| crime and punishment entered upon the
! records of the church. The culprit wa
/ not hanished. He banished himself Il,
| left Bridgeport and went TO New York
/ His father searched high and low for him
! and finally concluded that he was dead
/ tombstone was erected in the Gene
terry sacred to his memory and he was
i mourned as dead.
| Many years afterward a resident Of
| Brlugeport visiting New York, met the
boy, or rather the young man, as he haC
/ grown TO manhood. The report was car
/ ried back to Bridgeport that Daniel Por
ter was alive, and the news created Quit,
a stir IN the village and the tombstOu.
/ was removed from the cemetery
| The young man had no more use for
| Connecticut or its people. He did no
| want to so back there even to visit. di(
| not communicate with his family and hi.
! father did not succeed in finding him uni
! about twenty years after he had left HON,
! as a boy when he found him in Brooklyn
! young man with a small family, my
| self among them, then about years old
| Among my earliest rocOAectiOns is 2
visit of my fathers brother to Brooklyn
when he urged him to go back to BRIDE
port on a visit. But he wouldn't go m,
pen knife incident in the church his sub
sequent trial and conviction, had mad,
such an impression on his mind as a boy
that he never set foot in the state fror
the time he left home with a few dollar.
in his pocket a lad of Is years, to seel
his fortune in New York"
Diversion Thrown Mortimer d.
you enjoy living in houses that are rented
furnlshedss" Yes, indeed; the peopl,
who own the one we have this summer