Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-01-28
DAILY SHORT STORY
Carpetbag Justice.
,Original.1

| Oh robbin de wife oh her libin'''
Il didn't kill nobody" said the pris-
oner. ii fine looking darby of twenty
one.
Call Oliver Burnet"
An ebony hued man whose black
eyes rolled restlessly obeyed the order
and waited as if expecting a wildcat
10 spring at him. The prosecuting at
tOrney arose and faced him.
| oliver Burnet, whar was yo' on de
night OBJ de murder"
Don know what night de murder
was done
Dis mornin'"
ON dat night" said the witness,
| thinking hard and measuring his words
with great care. Il war in my bed SCUM
asleep"
What reason hab yo' to t'ink yo'
war in yO' bed dat night?''
The witness rolled his eyes up in ear
nest. then. lowering them. responded:
Case l hain't slep nOwhar else
Eence moved into dat cabin five year
ago
state to de cot what done happen
dat night"
up TO fin out who war de thief. | went
to Jeb MasOn's yard an saw .Teb lynn
on de grOun' daid. 1t was black dark,
an | cOuldn' see my han befo' my
eyes. Den | got 'feard oh de han oh
de murdered man an run like de dick
ems, On de road | run ag'in de priS-
oner''
'IO' honah," said the prosecuting at
torney, ''ef dat don prove TO sartin dat
de prisoner done de murder | don
know nottin' bout law"
''YO' hOnah," said the attorney for
the accused, lin de fus' place, how did
de witness see de daid man layin' on
de grOun' when il was so dark he
couldn' see he han befo' he face? In
de secon' place. what de sutenty oh
de prisoners committin' de murder be-
case de witness run agin him i'll de
dark: z"
The judge scratched his head before
replying.
In de fus' place" he said. "a cO'pse
-mebbe a ha'nt-air so terrifyin' dat
any niger with good eyes could see it
i'll de dark. In de secOn' place, ii don
stan to reason dat any lazy nigger's
gOin' To be outen he bed in de middle
Oh de night OnleSs lie after chickens
or watermilliOns"
The court called for more evidence.
but. as there was none forthcoming.
the case was submitted to the jury.
The twelve marched into an adjoining
room, where they remained IN hour be
fore returning with Il verdict.
"Eo' hOnah." said the foreman in re-
Spouse to the usual question. dis air
'culiar case. Dere's some doOt bout
de prisoner cOmmittin' de murder. but
dere ain't no doot bout de wilder he
in lef' in bad fix. De verde is dat
de prisoner has tn marry de wilder"
"Yo' hear de verdic'. Moses Washing
ton. Yo' hab 10 marry de widder or
hang. Which yO' do"
This was Il STARTER to the prisoner
who was expecting TO wed that very
day Il good looking cOlored girl. who
was present among the spectators. He
delibera ted till the judge. becoming i'm
patient. renewed the question.
"Lemme see de wilder" said the
condemned man.
The court directed that the relict of
the murdered man he summoned.
When she came into court. there was
hum of sympathy for the prisoner. She
was old. fat. blear eyed. whiskered--
indeed. she was fright. The judge
stated the case to her, and she turned
her eyes upon Moses.
Judge" said the latter. Il reckon l
choose de hangin'.''
stan up, Moses Washington. an
10 Nh 10 no
tence air dat yO' be token to de Jail
yard mex Friday an be hunged by de
neck till yO air daid. an God hab
mercy on yo' poo soul
The sheriff took charge of the pris-
oner and WIS about to lead him away
when there was an unexpected entry,
no less than the person of the murdered
man. Judge. jury and spectators start
ed simultaneously to run from the
''ha'nt." Some got out. others only
part way out. They were recalled to
themselves by Il realistic speech from
the ghost:
"YO' Sairy. wha yo' done foolin yo'
time away hyar: l wan my dinner"
"Fo' de Lawd." said the supposed
widow. throwing up her hands. Il
y
saw yo' layin' in de back yard
''Daid i'll de back yard. Wha' be-
come Oh de cO'pse:"
The murdered man seemed as much
surprised as any one and was troubled
that he should have been seen dead.
''Wha' was yo' all dis time:" asked
his wife
Didn't 1 tole yO' las night l was
gOin' to git up airly an go To Curnel
Turnlee'S TO beat carpets
''ShO' emf. an | done forgot t.
''Olivcr Burnett said the judge.
''wha' dat yO' didn' see in de back
yard
Dat was me sho' 'nuf. jedGe" said
Jefferson. Pete Cate he come To my
hencoOp TO steal a chicken. | bit him
tween de eyes. an he hit me on de
nose an Knocked me down. Dat de
son I %