The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-04-18

An Impromptu Poultry show Gets an
Innocent Coiored Man In Trouble.

AG"A I'LL IA ~ 4ONnk
An Impromptu Poultry show Gets an
Innocsnt Coiored Man In Trouble.
A big. fat turkey hung on q rea In
front Of the butcher shop owned by Hert-
zos Bros. at ls46 broadway. In the Hsin-
VILE end Of williamsburg. A biz. TAT
colcrsd man with big. fat jae was one
Of the crowd Of saturday night shoppers
that stopped to see the poultry show.
''Iss bsen ter Madison square Garden
en- saw de finest chickens In dc world. -
said the negro. opening up eonvsrsa-
tion with = stranger 10 the crowd.
"Yes," he continued. dat poultry show
over In New York made me think OBJ os
good ole days way down in Georsy.
Deed IL did. sah; de good Gle DAYS when
chicks we're common property"
"Did you ever steal . chioksnr' asked
the stranger.
WELL said the negro. II nebsr
stolsd one; but I'm not chasin' dem from
ma doorstep It's kind o. hard for to see
such thugs layin round doin nufbp,
Amt ftf'
YES 1t is," said the stranger.
The big. fat turkey stiil hung on the
reg, and the stranger passsd On.
Police Sergeant harden was Lehind the
Tho mifnisht nour wns not far away. A
big, fat policeman sntared with big, fat
colored man. foilowe1 by big fat
butsher, carrying dig. fat turkey. A
crowd trailed behind.
"Ihis Dootoh gentleman Is the COM
plAiner," said the big. fat policeman.
"As the case stands pow, charge this
nsgur wild running an he charges tn
nagur wid stealin', an We aot the turkey
~ evidence. But the nsgur says IL was
another naRur what looks just like him
what stole It,.
Il Will pusltiveness say dot der niger
man which We catched stcled der turkey
said the butcher; 81 am der clerk for der
butcher shop, und I sawnea dot NIT my
own eyes ven he we're valkin' round der
turkey end she we're still on der peg"
"Iere am mistaken case OBJ identity
somewh here" remarked the negro; "I
can bring Supreme Court references oh
ma character In . minute. Jes' cause
some ringers hab dc chiolzsn-stealin'
habit dar 10 NO sense In accuein' etery
spec able colored man oh purloinin'."
"veIl had der niger mans which
stoled 1t caught right so soon as he run
ned NIT der turkey" said the butchers
clerk. "Vhen 1 cotchsd him he fight
first und wouldn't let his hand GO from
der lurkey legs at tall, und had to push
his fingers on her,
"Gct a cramp In his hand. explained
the Iolioa man. ''sn' cudn't let 60 av tn
bird
"But I'm not ds..colored aen'man what
had der cramp." said the negro. 81
didn't hab no need for cramp In ma hand
when had money in ma pocket b.
sidss don't like turkey no how. Pm de
janitor for de hiaht Honorable Supreme
Court Justice Maddox's club an de
whole club VIII give ne reputation
what is worth having"
III make sharae den get not der
turkey bsckr' remar ked the butchers
clerk.
"No, tie turkey Will stay in tn police
station" said tie fat COP, "for it will
nave ter tie produced on the witness
stand In court In tn morning"
''Den vhen l not Identification der
niger mars not oan make der charge"
said the butshey; "by morning der tur-
key viii be good no more"
At tits point some newIy discovered
evide q ce was Introduced. The bartender
of the Unter den Linden saloon arrind.
Nick wslch IL his name. He explained
that the butcher caught the oolored man
wro stole tie turkey, took the turkey
owsy, and then let the thief 90. The
thief get aboard passing car just as an
other colored man was crossing the
street, ard the crowd chased after the
wrong man, who vas then arrested
"Dot 10 dor vay, captain" explained
the butcher, "vhen we caught him twice
1 couldn't swear dot he vera dor ono I
ought der second time. 1t says on der
srnS book, All nigeer mems look alike
to you, and dot is der question init our
case here. Only II der one vhar did 1t
didn't had a mustache den would be
sure dot him und dis one we're ros dot
one. See?''
~ think do" said the sergeant. and
the prisoner was released. The butcher
went away with tie turkev. and the cop
said it WIS "a oase OF mysterious identi-
GcatiCn v--a,te Sup