From the Richmond Dispatch, 4/17/1869, p. 1, c. 4

“CROSSIN’ DE LINE.” – Wednesday morning John Kennedy was arraigned before the police court on a charge preferred by Randolph Williams of trespassing on his premises and destroying his crops. The parties are the proprietors of premises in the neighborhood of Chimborazo. From Randolph’s account, and those of his witnesses, John Kennedy was a trespasser from Trespassville; and the magistrate was about to bind John over to keep the peace, when he appealed thus:

“Why, look a here, Cote. Hole on, Cote. Why, hi; you ain’t heard my witness yit.”

Court: “Well, sir, call them in.”

John’s witnesses were called, and in a few minutes an entirely different aspect was put upon the case. Randolph got to be solicitous as he saw the disturber of his peaceful possessions getting the advantage of him, and he could not refrain from expressing at the end of some of the sentences of his opposing witnesses, “Great day in de mornin’; but did I ever hear sich as dat?”

Witness: “He didn’t trespass ‘tall. He didn’t cross de line, because dere was de line dar whar he contain for, and dat was his line; and he want on de yuther side of de line which he was on dis side of de line.”

Court: “What line do you mean?”

“Witness: “De line whar’s his line, and dat’s de line which he contain for, an he ain’t got no bizness on de yuther side o’ de line which he’s got bizness on dis side.”

Court: “Here, I’ll dismiss this case. Don’t let me hear of any more disturbance.”

John: “All right, Cote, I ain’t gwine ‘sturb him.”

Witness: “Say, Judge, lem me speak a word, please?”

John: “All right, Cote, I ain’t gwine ‘sturb him.”

Court: “That will do – go on and behave yourselves.”

John: “All right, Cote, I ain’t gwine ‘sturb him. Good mornin’, Cote!”

• Prev
• Next