Year: 1879

Wilmington squires the object


Delaware BuildOxing.


Soon after the Legislature adjourned
the Wilmington Sqniles began 10 wake
up to the fact that the Legislature had
made an ciI.ctual strike at them with.
out til .ir knowing it. According to
the provisions Of the bill passed Will
mington Justices jurisdiction il limi-
ted to four miles beyond the city limits.


They cannot have a summons served
either for civil debt, or witness be-
yond this limit. Under the bill vii,
ming,or Justice cannot summona man
from the upper part of Brandywine
Hundred, because it is more than four
miles beyond the city limits, but a
Justice living in New Castle, Townsend
ar any other part of the county, can
summon the Brandywine Hundred man
without any interference.


There are various conjectures as to
the cause of such action, amongst which
is the fact that when some people down
the county are on the verge Of bank.
ruptcy and are struggling along under
a load of judgments, they turn politi-
clans and get elected to Office, some OF
them to the Legislature, when nothing
could b. NOR. natural than that they
should cripple the Wilmington Justices
by limiting their jurisdiction.


1t is said that country justices are
very slow to act where neighbor is
concerned, especially if that neighbor
has considerable political influence,
aud if Theses same persons can only
keep off the Wilmington justices, they
can manage to control the country JUS
tees. 1t is said also that it has been
almost impossible to get country
squire to accept case of colored man
VINO had sometimes to suo to get his
rights, and if he did sue the constables
did not want to serve summons.


This circumstance has compelled the
colored men to come from the lower
end Of the county II Wilmington in
order to get lustic. done, and hence
one of the reasons for the passage Of
this bill making county debtors secure
from the importunities of the City
Squires and constables.


In conversation this morning with
Justice We were Informed of a cOloIed
man in Appoquinimink Id. who
worked for farmer, but could never
get settlement with him. He thought
the farmer still owed him a balarce,
and with this idea III his head, he
walked all the way to Wilmington with
his book of accounts which was notch
ed stick, aud entered suit before
a Wilmington Justice.


A day wass set, but the defendant
got postponement for week hut
the coiored man knowing something
abou: it came a second time from Ar
poquintI ink, to meet Lis supposed
debtor, bnt only to b. informed that
the ease was postponed. On the APP
pointed day, the colored men came a
third time from APpoquinimink, and
net the farmer but only to lnd that
there was Il balance of Sl5O against
him (he colorei man } coriing to his
admission, when asked why Le did
not enter The suit before a justice near
rr home and save expense, he said,
there was TO squire that Woail receive
the case ut 4 coIOrsi man.


We were also informed OF anp.h.r
instance of this kind Of bul'-lo2,ns
more a.giavatiug than that above re-
lated. A colorrd man engaged witt, Il
farmer who bat lately las been honored
W It'll an office hy his party, and when
ne owed him aLout S4j, at the COM
lu-ncencnt Of corn cutting other color
ed men were hired tn help. Some diff.
ference occurred between the farmer
and his foreman, when the first asked
his foreman to come TO the house and
he would settle with him. The co,oI-d
man went, but only to meet the farmer
coming out of his house with a pistol
in each hand aud ordered lS,n oil the
place, an advice he speedily complied
with.


The hands concluding that il the
ia tmer took this way Of settling with
his foreman he hi ght do th- same with
them, and left at the same time. The
colOrei man then went to sue for his
wages before the nearest squire bu. his
suit was REJECTED, and he was compelled
to 90 Wilmington Tor justice. A, soon as
the farmer found that he was sued he
went before the county squire and on a
charge Of damag" lie had the colored
man brought leiore the squire on a
forthwith sEmmvnd.


The constable coming into the Office
with an oath ordered the cOlored man
out until he was wanted. In the mean-
time the farmer cane and while the
negro was waiting outside a Judgment
was rendered ia favor of the farmer by
default OF TIE appearance OF the negro.


H. then took transcript OF the dock
ct and coming to Wilmington on the
day set for hi, appearance" urged it as
a settlement of the case but tho Squire
telling him his trumprd up transcript
was not worth the paper it was written
upon, gave judgement against him and
in favor of the negro.


The farmer confessed Afterwards that
he hones.y y owed the negro the amount
claimed. and yet he appealed the case
to court here it is now hanging with
the expectation that the negro will not
be able to fc- lawyer. These ara some
Of the reasons given why it is thought
that this strike is made at the VII
min.ton Suuires.


-"Ar ~r---"'


ron.fhn NIB and wife.


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