The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-12-17
\ STORY WITH TWO SIDES.

|
\ woman stood at the bar of justice,
and BY her side two stalwart policemen.
Her name was called and she answered
Then the Judge asked the clerk to read
the charge against her.
"Disorderly conduct on the street
and disturbing the peace" read the
clerk.
"Who are witnesses against the wo-
man," asked the judge: and the two
policemen stepped forward to be sworn.
Nov tell the story" said the Judge.
and one of them began:
II arrested the woman in front OF a
saloon on Broadway on Saturday night.
She had raised a great disturbance, was
fighting and brawling with the men in
the saloon, and the saloon keeper put
her out. She used the foulest language,
and with an awful threat struck at the
keeper with all her force. | then ar
rested her and took her to the deten-
ton house and locked her up"
"The next witness will take the
stand" said the Judge, and the other
policeman stepped up.
Il saw the arrest. and know 1t to
be just as stated. I saw the woman
fighting as the saloon keeper put her
on the street. I heard the vile Ian
guage she used in the presence OF the
crowd that gathered in the street."
Call the saloon keeper. What DO
do YOU know of this case:"
Il know dis vomans vas maxim dis
turbance by my saloon. She comes
there und she makes trobles und she
fights nit me, und I puts her the door
oud. I know her all along. She vas
pad vomans."
Turning TO the trembling woman, the
Judge said, This isa pretty clear case,
madam: have you anything to say in
your own defense?"
"Yes, judge" she answered in a
strangely calm, though trembling
voicN.
"Tam not guilty of the charge, and
those men standing before you have
perjured their souls to prevent me from
telling the truth. 1t was they and not
who violated the law. was in the
saloon last Saturday night, but I'll tell
you how it happened"
MY husband did not come home
from work that evening and l feared
he had gone to the saloon. I knew he
must have drawn his weeks wages, and
we needed it so badly. I put the little
ones to bed, and then waited all alone
through the weary hoursuntil after the
city clock struck y. Then I thought
the saloons will be closed and he will
be put out on the street. Probably he
will not be able to get home, and the
police will arrest him and lock MIN up.
I must go and find him and bring him
home. I wrapped shawl around me
and started out, leaving the little ones
asleep in bed; and, judge, I have not
seen them since"
Here the tears came to the woman's
eyes, and she almost broke down, but
restraining herself she went on:
II went to the saloon where 1 thought
most likely he would be. 1t was about
20 minutes after y, but the saloon, that
mans saloon"-pointing to the saloon
keeper, who seemed to want to crouch
out of her sight-''it was still open,
and my husband and these two police
men," pointing to those who had so
lately sworn against her, were standing
at the bar with their lips still wet with
drink, and the lecks of foam not yet
settled in the empty glasses before
them.
81 stepped up to my husband and
asked him to 60 with me, but the men
laughed at him, and the saloon-keeper
ordered me out. I said, No, want
my husband to go with me- Then I
tried to tell him how badly we needed
the money he was spending, and again
the keeper cursed me and ordered me
to leave. Then I confess I could stand
no more, and l said, you ought to be
prosecuted for violating the midnight
closing law
''At this the saloon keeper and po-
iiceman rushed upon me and put me
out into the street, and one of the po-
licemen, grasping my arm like a vice,
hissed IN my ear, Ill get you 50
days sentence in the workhouse, and
then see what you think about sueing
people, He called patrol wagon,
pushed me in. and drove to the house
of detention. and Judge, you know the
rest. All day yesterday l was locked
up, my children at home alone, with
no fire, no food, no mother"
1t was well that the story was fin
ished, for q great sob choked her Ut
terance and she could say no more.
"Dismissed." said the Judge in a
husky voice, and the guilty woman
who had so disturbed the peace passed
out of the court room.
But what of the saloon keeper vino
had violated the law by keeping open
after y o'clock at night? And what
of the policemen who violated their
obligation by drinking while on duty:
and who threatened an honest woman
with a sentence in the workhouse if
she dared to tell the truth. Oh, moth
ing at all. They were too guilty to be
prosecuted.-Cincinnati Living Issue