The daily Alaskan., 1905-04-20
CARPETBAG JUSTICE
orisinall

 carpetbag judge, ''ye Is charged with de crime ob killin' Tom Jefferson an ob robhin' de wife ob her hbin'"
 'I didn't kill nobody" said the pris. oner, fine looking darly Of twenty. one.
 Call Oliver Burnct."
 An ebony hued man whose blscs eyes rolled rcstleSsly obeyed the order and waited as if expecting a wildca, to spring at him. The prosecuting at toruey arose and faced him.
 'OHver Burnet, whar was 70 on de night ob de murdery"
 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, q war In my bed soun' asleep"
 What reason hab yo' 10 fink 70 war in yo' bed dat nlghty'
 The witness rolled his eyes up in ear. nest, then lowering them, responded:
 "'Case I hain't slep nowhar else sence I moved into dat cabin five year ago"
 state to de cot what done happen dat night"
 T heard a chicken syuoalin' an got up 10 fn' out who war de thief. went 10 Jeb Mason's yard an saw Jeb lyin' on de groun' daid. lt was black dark, an couldn' see my han befo' my eyes. Den l got 'feard ob de na'nt oh de murdered man an run like de dick. euS! On dc road | run ag'in de prls oncr."
 "No' honah," said the prosecuting at. torney, "cf dat don prove 10 sartin dat de prisoner done de murder | don know uOttin' bout law"
 "No' honah," sad the attorney for the accused fin de fus' place. bow d.d de witness sec de daid man 'oy.u on dc groun' when it was So dark b. could'n' scc hc han befo' be faccf In de secon' place, what de sutenty ob de prisoners committin' de murder he. case de witness run ag'iu him ln de dark E'
 The judge scratched his head before replying.
 ''In de fus' place" he said, "a co'psp -mcbbe a ha'nt-air so terrifyin' dat any nigger with good eyes could sec it In de dark. In de Secon' place. it don stan 10 reason dat any lazy n,g-cr's goin' to be outen be bed In dc middle ob de night onleSS he after chickens or watcrmiiliOuS."
 The court called for mOuc evidence, but. as there was none forthcoming tLe case was submitted Co jhe Jury The twelve marched into an a1iui0iuT room. where they remained an h0ur b7 fore returning with a verdict
 No hOuah." said thc foreman tn re- spouSe 60 the usual question, dis aif a 'culiar case. pere's some doot bout dc prisoner committin' de murder but dere aiu't no doot bout de w'ddCr be in Ter In bad fix. De vcrdic' Is dat de prisoner has Go marry dc wiGdcr,"
 "Yo' hear de vcrdlc'. Moses Washing ton. Yo' hah to marry dc widdcr or hang. Which yo' doE"
 This Was Star,lcr 10 the prisoner who was cNH, ,ctiug Go wed that ven day a good looking cOlored girl who was present among tle spectators He delibcratcd tin the judge. becoming i'm patient. renewed the question,
 "Lemmc soc de widdcr," said the condcmuyd man.
 The court directed that the rclict of the murdered man be summoned When she came into court, there was Q hum of sympathy for the prisoner. She was old, fat, blcar eyed, whiskcred- indeed. she was a fright The judge stated the case to her. and she turned her eyes upon Moses.
 "grlgn." said t,le latter, ''I reckon | clvusa de hangin'"
 stan u2 Moses Washington. an hear d2 sentence u5 dr cot. Dc sCu lcuc, air dat yo' lee tcoGru to dc jai ,ar' ayX' Friday an be hungcd by dc neck uu yo' ai- daid, an God hah Ggevcy oH yv' Wna' sHuL'
 The SleriG took charge or the pris s-.r and Was about to lead him away -&yB ,hac WIS an unexpected entry, 70 less than t'ty person of jhe murdered stan. IEd- jury and -pec.aioI> start a Simultaus souS,y 60 run from tbC 'uant." Some got out, others only aart way out They were recalled Co