Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-07-29
An Incident Before Judge Jackson.

whom, more IMAM duOtuets tue hooA-
sinners of West Virginia fear, that
man is Judge Jackson revenue COL
lectors they despise, marsbals and dep
uty marshals they hate, but the Judge
they fear. To them he is the embodi-
ment of that mysterious power which
calls itself the Government.
The county court is little under
stood and an awe-inspiring thing to
them; how much more so, then, the
United States Court, over which Judge
Jackson presides? To reach that
court involves crossing the ranges
"beyant Greenbrier" into new and
unknown region then comes the
Journey on the railway, terrifying
experience, at the end of which their
preconceived and simple notions of
men and things are sadly shattered
and upset. In the center of all these
new and soul-disturblng elements is
the court, and the court is the Judge,
from whose utterances there is no APP
peal, whose sentence Is TO them the
final fiat, on whose nod, even, mar
shals wait, and whose words shut men
off from the hills and the sunlight.
1t is not altogether without reason
that the mountaineers fear the Judge ;
sternly just, he has small mercy for
violators of the laws, and the moon
sinner who stands convicted before
him may be certain of long term Of
Imprisonment, the punishment most
dreaded by the men whose homes are
on the hills, whose life is free to come
and go as they please across the far
sweeping ridges and the deep, blue
hollows.
At a recent term of court an unus-
ually large number of moonshlners,
men and women, were sentenced for
making, receiving and selling illicit
whiskey. The sentences seemed to
be more severe than usual, and great
was the dismay among the prisoners
as each one rejoined his fellows in the
room where they waited, under guard
until summoned into the presence OF
the court. In the courtroom the
Judge waited for the appearance OF
the next prisoner. Slowly through
the wide door woman entered, a
woman of the mountains, sad-taced
and detected her slmpsy gown OF
faded blue calico hung loosely on her
angular figure a "slat' sunbonnet
was held in one nerveless hand en-
circled by her right arm a baby, sad
faced and detected as its mother,
frightened by the unusual surround
ing, hid its face on her shoulder. In
tba woroan's eve was a look Of ap-
peal, though to the customary query
as to whether or not she had any
thing to say why the sentence should
not be passed upon her, she answered
nothing, looking at the Judge with a
mute fear, a wordless plea, which did
not wholly fail.
A softer expression came over the
face of the Judge; a CLEAN OF sympa-
thy lighted his eyes he stopped
making notes with his scratching pen,
and looked at the woman as che stood
before him with the child in her arms.
"How old is that child?' he asked.
The woman looked up and beslia-
ted timidly.
don't be frightened. Tell me how
old your baby is.
Leven months, sir.
"Have you any others?"
"Yes, sir.
How old are they ?"
"Wiley's 10, Sam, he's Z; an
Mary's g."
Your husband is not here 2
The woman drew back little, and
did not answer.
Her husband was not captured,
your honor" said deputy marshal.
"Um-m-m. Thirty days, said the
Judge, musinglyi and then formally
pronounced the hghtest sentence that
had been given that day. The woman
was led out by an officer, and the busi-
ness of the court went on as before,
until another woman, counterpart ol
the first, stood before the bar. She
too, carried baby and she. also, re-
ceived as light a sentence as the stat
ute provided. By and by there came
a third, and she, like the other two,
bore a baby in her arms, and got of
easily. When the fourth woman, also
with baby, came in, the judge turned
to the court official:
"Mr. Bailif. now many women are
yet to sppearf"
About 10, your honor.
Have they all got babies?