The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1915-09-23
A WISE
JUDGE
By OSCAR cox

When the war between the states
dowed with citizenship grave re-
sponsibility was placed upon him fol
which he wasn't prepared. In one of
those regions where 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. Il 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 Redfield Doggett, was the
judge before whom a negro with no
other name, so far as was known. than
Pete was brought on a charge of hav-
ing i'll treated his wife, Susan. She as
the principal witness was called TO the
| stand.
Tell the cOut wha' Pete gone done
to you" said the judge.
Pete he de mos good TO- muffin mig
! ger In de state Of Alabama. Now he
| got free he t'ink he hain't got nOttin'
to do but sit out in de sun an sleep.
l says to Pete, Git up an go TO wo'k.
How yO' spec desc chin gwine to git
anything to eat eff yo' don't earn not
tin? Pete he say: 4 hain't got no
wo'k. YO' go on wild de washin', an
l TAX it to do owner an bring back
de pay l jist pick up rollin' pin,
an | split it on he skull"
"Yo honah," said the defendants
counsel, II thought it was Pete mis-
treated Susan. not Susan mistreated
Pete"
"YO', Pete" said the judge, ''yo' take
de stan an tell de cot yo' side OBJ de
question"
Pete obeyed the order and stood roll
ing 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 dat?
"Ma wife. Chloe. wha' married fus'
down In Louisiana, air de only wife |
got When | was sold an separated
from her an de chin ma heart was
broke. De mex year married one OBJ
de niger women belongin' to ma new
marster."
"Yo' didn't get no divo'ce from yo |
fus' wife?' asked the defendants coun-
sci.
Il didn't get no divo'ce. Jest mar
ried ag'in. Two years AFTER dat ma |
marster lose cotton crop an We was
all sold out, me an ma wife bein' sold |
to different marsters. Den 1 married
anudder wife"
An 20 didn't get no divo'ce from
de second wife?" asked Pete's counsel.
mo, sab. l didn't get no divo'ce
from de second wife. l didn't keer TO
no divo'ce from none OBJ 'em. Ma
heart was true to ma FMS wife, Chloe"
How many wives have you got?"
asked the prosecuting attorney, with
a view to cOndensing this diffuse state
ment.
Il don't know. l had de bad luck
to change marsters mighty often, an
every time was sold / married a new
wife"
us Susan de las'?"
'Sue. she de las"
"Yo' honah," said defendants coun-
sci, Il ask TO de dischage 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
had, SusanT asked the Judge.
Il got one in Mobile, anudder In New !
Orleans an anudder somewha' in Souf
Carolina"
How do you know they are in those t
placesr r
Il don't. l married 'em dar."
The judge looked up at the boards
which constituted the ceiling In mute :
lellberation. He was a grave looking p
Did darby and In his heart aimed to I
De just But the problem was how e
% be just legally. The two In this case e
eemed Incompatible .
DE persecutin' attorney will sum I'D Il
IN de counsel TO de prisoner will sum u
lp, der de cou't will glib her decision" s
Il hain't got nuthin' to say" said the
prosecutor, "'cept dat Pete won't wok.
IN his wife an chin am staryin'. n
De cou't oughter make him wo'k or go ;;
o jail" n
An amt got nUthin' to say" said Of
he prisoners lawyer, "cept dat in de p tc
US place Sue an Pete hain't married. d
'ete bein' true to Chloe, somewha' in Z,
e souf. In de secon' place, it want m
'ete dat mistreated Sue, but Sue mis-
reated Pete when she split de rollin' ia
In on his head" ii
The judge again looked at the boards r.
bove, rolled his eyes and finally gave til
is decision. nc
DE new law Of marriage among us st
lggers since he Emancipation procla- tn
lation am different from de ole law. 81
nder de new law Sue am Pete's wife. he
a he boun' to TAX kesr OBJ her an de u ne
nillun. De cou't derefo' decides dat pr
etc got to go to wo'k or 20 to Jail" o.
Il peal de case" cried Pete's conn. an
IL ne
"YO' kin fist go on 'pealin' do one, -