The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1915-12-30
A WISE
JUDGE
By OSCAR cox

those regions Wnere the negroes were
very numerous and white men very
few one of the former found himself
in possession of Justices court.
The makeup of this dispensary OF
Justice was somewhat crude. A judge
was found who had done the cleaning
of the courthouse, prosecuting attor-
ney In one who had belonged to law
yer, but for counsel no one could be
obtained except few darkies who had
been tried for various offenses and had
by observing lawyers methods picked
up here and there bits Of court routine.
Moses Doggett, late the property OF
Colonel Redneld DOggett, was the
Judge before whom q negro with no
other nAMe, 20 far ~ was known, than
Pete was brought ON . charge Of hav-
Ing I'll tssAted his wife, Susan. She as
the principal witness was called to the
stand.
Tell the cou't wha' Pete gone done
to yeu," said the Judge.
pete he De mos good To- muffin mig
gev IN de state Of Alabama. Now he
ret free he t'ink he hain't got nOttin'
to 90 but cit out In de sun an sleep.
I says to Pete, Git up an go to wo'k.
Hew 10 spec desc chin gwine to git
anything to eat eff 10 don't earn not
tiny Pete he say: 4 hain't got no
wo'k. Yo' go on wild de washin', an
1 TAX 1t to do owner an bring back
De pay l jist pick up rollin' pin,
an split 1t on he skull"
"Yo' honah," said the defendants
counsel, II thought 1t was Pete mis-
treated Susan, not Susan mistreated
Pete"
ne, Pete" said the judge, "yo' take
q stan an tell de cot yo' side OBJ de
question"
Pete obeyed the order and stood roll
iAs his eyes about till admonished to
speak In his defense Of the charge
made by his wife.
"Hain't got no wife," he said.
~Hain't got no wife? How datT
ma wife, Chloe, wha' I married fus'
down In Louisiana, air de only wife
got. When l was sold an separated
broke De mex year I married one OBJ
de niger women belongin' to ma new
marstey."
TO DIDN'T get no dfvo'ce from y0'
fuS wtfeT' asked the defendants coun-
sell
Il ftdn't get no divo'ce. jest mar
ried ag'in- Two years arter dat ma
marster lose a cotton crop an we was
all sold out, me an ma wife bein' sold
to different marsters. Den / married
anudder wife"
AN yo' didn't get no divo'ce from
de second wifer' asked Pete's counsel.
mo, sab. didn't get no divo'ce
from de second wife. didn't keer TO
no divo'ce from none OBJ 'em. Ma
heart was true to ma fus' wife, Chloe"
How many wives have you got"
asked the prosecuting attorney, with
a view b condensing this diffuse state
ment.
Il don't know. / had de bad luck
to change marsters mighty often, an
every time / was sold I married new
wife"
els Susan de las p
''eue, she de las"
"YO' hOnah," said defendants cOun-
sci, IT ask To- de discha'ge OBJ de pris-
oner on de groun' dat he couldn't mis-
treat he wife when he hain't married
to de wife he mistreated."
How many husbands have you
bad, SusanT' asked the judge.
II got one In Mobile, anudder in New
Oriean. an anudder somewhat in Souf
Carolina"
How do you know they are in those
placesr'
II Cont. 1 married 'em dar."
The judge looked up at the boards
which constituted the ceiling in mute
elaboration. He was a grave looking
old darby and In his heart aimed to
be just. But the problem was how
to be just legally. The two In this case
seemed incompatible.
de persecutin' attorney will sum up
an de counsel TO- de prisoner will sum
up, den de cou't will glib her decision"
II hain't got nuthin' to say" said the
prosecutor, "'cept dat Pete won't wo'k,
an his wife an chin am starvin'.
De cou't oighter make him wo'k or go
to Jail"
AN l amt got nuthin' to say" said
The prisoners lawyer, "'cept dat in de
fus' place Sue an Pete hain't married,
Pete bein' true to Chloe, somewhat in
de souf. In de secon' place, it want
Pete dat mistreated Sue, but Sue mis-
treated Pete when she split de rollin'
pin on his head"
The Judge again looked at the boards
above, rolled his eyes and finally gave
his decision.
"De new law Of marriage among us
niggers since he Emancipation prOcla-
nation am different from de ole law.
Under de new law Sue am Pete's wife,
an he boun' to TAX keer OBJ her an de
chillunL De cou't derefo' decides dat
Pete got to go to wo'k or go to JAIL"
II peal de case" cried Pete's coun-
sell
"Yo' kin Jist go on 'pealin' de case
till kingdom come" said the judge.
pete, yo' go to wo'k. Sue, eff he dom
go to wo'k you split anudder rollin' pin
on his head"
II hain't got no mo- rollin' pins. but
| got some flatirons."