New-York tribune., 1900-05-06
ayJp" FRayKLIN's JUST JUDGMENT
A TEXAS SOLOMON AND THE INTRICATE CUES
TIoN OF A HEN = OWNERSHIP.
From The Mexican Herald.

From The Mexican Herald.
Texas has always been noted for the remarkable
decisions of some of it's minor judiciary, which,
while often showing ignorance Of the letter Of the
law. contained a good deal of rude equity and ap;;
probation of what was right between MI man m ana
muneration of of the Justices or the Peace IN
IN the aod State as so sa .hae a0 ab can
spend the time needed to discharge the duties OF
svan as Gee xhan hf in wf he heght Of
self elected 10 the position that IL ign ot tda tb
sT poorer people and later the present sheriff FoEto
and n number NIB rae of Others cns nave 'aAe" ''9
The The present Justice in Brownsville is Joseph, l.
p franklin who off and on has been Justice 6n for
the past twenty years. He is little nervous man an
very well yersed in the laws OF the state, ,t aro Ie M
and all That Wandering gentry that float
or T0m a. bese Fellows ge into the clutches of Frank
lin he always has very hard ume to Gi escape a his
The Judge is generally known as rIip FTdnkin iP0laT
among the American populat ion and as iIoSVS oS,
Josey" among the Mexicans. This queer t0mPounq M no
appellaive has stuck him since as little toi a.
school his American teacher would sometimes m @ a aa
dress him by the Spanish version o1 io,ntiTe 1S
as sJosev." his school fellows forming him "a nick
sSmbqaon t,tont Of he two io the past would
have done credit to the Wise Cad IN ,1a NE Two
Women Women came to him one morning, both claiming
the ownership Of hen valued bd sWore point
HANK mp and down one lot that the hen was me
property & Of GPs h OF nr6nery 5ne of the other
a auandary. Franklin thought a while ana thea a
or1iered that the hen be left with the Cou''' anu
said he would render his decision later y. oo,n
named by the constable who carried the men I In
scan box a couple of policemen and Two OF M tbe
NJ the court hangers on, appeared in front or it r
dwellings of the rival claimants VINO VINO T nEGn Ju nS
arross the street from each other me P.oIlCtt t
.he hangers on were ordered to clear the -
20 tean all passersby and curious urchliiS ptoh o
whiie the rival occupants of the residences were
ordered to stay within doors o,+oipinp the
Then the constable put the box coHlaii,lS on ne me
bor ar . nont in the roadway midway pew ; ~
n.n houses and as setting sun was tliistlIls 9 r
clouds in the west with its last rays ne "a 49,
a. cover of the box and retired on t1ptoe.
immned un on the edge of the box 81 sii,bn tb 1ist
}eatbers hopped the street, plckea III i t the
for a moment and then, calmly marchls mal1 M ~ m
ard of one OF the claimants. proceeueu l" ny "P
into a to go to roost ,o,,so 70 tho door
calling the woman of that house, 10 t't tbo % hen
.,rantiin told her that he had decided tht ''e rn
was hers and turning to the other VINO & n'' trorhie
out said: And if you give me any NOR oots
about that hen I will assess you q ~ to 10 tb ms
Ali tho neighbors were well SatiSneo as 10 tie J
tice of the decision. and Franklins the ma
Indee was much enhanced thereby anlohf ho,nbt tIe
&C. nonulation He had very shreWtiy to hn
that n no one else knew to whom the ne', ,,oet
ionsed nrobaby Riddy herself would be tle hi'''
cert ain witness in the case