The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-04-16
An Injustice
Righted
By OSCAR COX

region the only way 10 dispense jus
tice has ut times been for the negroes
themselves TO organize It court and try
some case Of such importance as Scent
ed to demand attention. AS for small
breaches of the law. such as stealing
chickens wateImelons and the like.
the individuals dispossessed We're OK
pected to attend To the matter them
selves.
One dry Gentleman from vcks-
burg. who WAS travelling through this
region. had occasion 10 spca;S with Il
certain coloreI man and WAS told that
he was sitting IN woGdSlWd con
la ting mutcr trial. Going 10 the
humble courtroom. the visitor looked
N end saw the court in session TAX.
n. b7'l seat he observed tie pro.
. ecdinas
CneSa, HENDERSON. black as coal.
was en- trim for the murder Of Te-
'um~eh RI man. n rival for the af'ec-
tiana of Dinah Och.ltrcc The rivals
Ind visited Hinah during tl4 evening
before the murder and had left to
sethcr. They were heard quarTeling
On the road. The next morning Te-
cumseh was missing Since he did
not turn up for some days Caesar was
accused Of his murder, and. there be-
ing no regular court within many.
miles, he was tried by his peers in the
woodshcd Dinah. the object Of CON
tention, was being questioned by the
Judge, who also acted as counsel for
the state and the defense. He wQs
also the twelve iurymcn.
"Dinah." he said severely, "wha' 70
yo' hab two nbbers hangin' roun' yo
persuadin' 'em TO fight fo' yo'? Don
yo' know dat wo'se'n murder
~ couldn't help dey fightin 70 me-
replied Dinah, with Il toss of her head
"Whn' time did dey leah yo' dat
night when Caesar killed Tecumseh?"
II didn't kill Tecumseh," protested
Caesar.
'Shet up cried the judge slaring
at the prisoner from under pair of
heavy gray eyebrows, "or fine yo' fo'
contempt ob cou't'
The question having been repeated,
the witness said that she reckoncd the
two men left her between '''ieben
O'Clock and some time in de mawnln."
She ieckonel it was near the latter.
How do 70 know datT" asked the
Judge
"KaSe | heard Zeb Parker, dat lib
mex doc 10 me, comm home from
chicken huntin'."
How yo' know Zcb been chicken
huntin'4
"Kasc ! heafA dc squawkin' of de
chickens hc was brinsin home."
did 70 see Zeb?'
"No. sab; | didn sec ikeb. De dark
and zeb war of de same blackness."
II thought yo' said it war mawnin'!'
$50 ! did Zeb nebber goes chick
en- huntln' 'cept just befo' daybreak.'
The witness was excused, and Lem
Barker was, called to the stand.
Lem said the judge looking at the
rafters, tell dc cou't how yo' know
Caesar killed TecumSeh." He
"Kase / hean 'cm ltghtin's''
(Which war lickin' de udder:"
How know dat: couldn' see EN-
fightin in de dark"
'"D9p' 20 know no mo- bout de
fghtf'
Goose | don know nothin' at ali
bout de fight"
Another witness testified that lie
lived next door to Tecumseh and that
the latter had been missing since de
lark OBJ de moon and that Tecumseh's
dog was a-whlnin' all de time kaSe
he marster didn come home no mo-"
Then Dinah was recalled and testified
that the call on her by the rivals WAS
made during de dark oh de moon.r
This completed the evidence. The
Judge called upon the prisoner to stand
III and, being obeyed, proceeded TO
convict and sentence him at the same
time. lie was to be taken out to de
Die tree wild de low branch convenient
TO- hangin' pussons' and hanged by
Lhe neck until he was ''daid."
The sentence reused Dinah's ire.
'NTha' 70 yo gwine hang Caesar.
udge?' she shouted "Dah amt no
sinse in dat. At de dark oh de moonI
nab two lubbers to choose from. One
liIed de udder, and nov yo' gwine tG
1ang de one lef Whar do / come in"
At the statement of this obvious in
Justice the judge scratched his wool.
! rs might sorry bout dat, Dinah.
But it's TOO late now | done sentence
le prisoner.
There wns a babel of tongues, some
insisting fiat. n sentence having been
there was no going back
N ID. Others claimed that it was
mighty Ilufd on Dinab. The lubbub
vas q,iieted 10y tie gentleman observer.
who stepped to the front and said;
"Ydir, honor | am an attorney in
and ifyou will listen to
40 | think eau tell you how the pris-
,ner can he legally saved from the
II
Every eve was turned to the white
nan. who continued as follows:
Eve derive cur laws from England.
An English ki'ig Edward H., issued
y edict that when man was sen
,,nced to he l-nge,l for any crime, If
woman could be found to marry him,
lie should go free. according TO this