Arizona republican., 1902-02-04
SOME KISSING PRECEDENTs.

In this season of the mistletoe it Is
we'll for the average man to bear in
mind the legal precedents that may be
a guide for his feet and also his lips.
In a recent Green Bag. Samuel SEQ
vile. Jr., sets forth this country's earl
lest known case of judicial cognizance
of kissing. There is not, as generally
believed any reference to OSCILLATION in
Roger Ludlows code of 1850. better
known as the Connecticut Blue Laws"
but the case of the people VS.. Murline.
heard by the governor of New Haven
colony in council on May day. 1860 in
dicates the attitude toward unlicensed
kissing in those times.
The governor. having first examined
Jacob Murine and Sarah futile pri-
vately, brought them into court upon
the following statement of facts:
On the day on which John Potter was
married, Sarah futile went to Mis-
tress Murline's house for some thredd.
Whereupon her son, Jacob Murine
came in and took up Sarah's gloves.
she desired him to give her the gloves.
which he answered he would if she
would give him a kysse, upon which
they sat down together, his arme be-
| ing about her Waste, and her arme
| about his neck. and he kyssed her and
she KISSED him, or they KISSED one an
other, for about the space of half an
| hour. which Marian Murline now in
court affirmed to be so.
| Jacob, it is to be observed with re-
gret, tried to throw the blame on Sarah
saying he thought she had with intent
| let fall her gloves" Sarah denied the
intent. Jacob then admitted that he
''tooke her by the hand and they both
1 or oh It.t H..
KISSED her or sh kyssed him, he
knows not. for he never thought of it
since until Mr.. Raymond told him that
| he had not layed it to heart as he
| ought"
Jacob was plainly one of those men
who kiss and forget, and Sarah
promptly declared that she did not
kysse him. but would not say, whether
| he had KISSED her or no." Sarahs
father thereupon testified that Jacob
had endeavored to steal away his
| daughters affections" Sarah properly
resenting the imputation that so for
getful man could have any claim to
her regard. testified that he had not
| stolen her said affections" This closed
the evidence
The governor, in summing up. told
Sarah that her offense was the great
est, that virgin should be so bold 10
carry it as she had done" He also
told Jacob that his carriage hath been
very evil and SINFUL not to think OF
it doth greatly aggravate." Sarah pro-
| fessed repentance. and hoped that God
would help her to carry it better for
time to come Jacob seems to have
| been unrepentant.
Yet the court decreed that 1.-The SEN
tence therefore concerning them is that
| they shall pay either of them a fine
of 20 shillings to the colony" 1t is safe
| to say that no modern Judge or Jury
| would have been so ungallant as tC
punish additionally a woman who had
been so kissed and SO forgotten. MOI
| do modern courts tend to regard kiss
ing as crime in itself.
In a recent Illinois breach of prom
Use case the plaintiff testified that the
defendant escorted her to church So
ciable and on the way home had re-
peatedly kissed her with the utnos
enthusiasm. The kissing Was not de.
MED, yet the jury, after long delibera.
ton, declared that the defendant hat
treated the plaintiff with cream an6
with great courtesy, evidently regard
Ing the kisses as courtesies suitable tC
the occasion.
From this Oldest and latest of prece
dents it seems safe to lay down the
general rule to kiss where it is desired
and never to forget or deny the kisses
but frankly to treat them as the sea.
sons courteous tributes of strength t.
beauty.-Chicago Inter-Ocean.
--c