Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 July 1903 — CONDENSED STORIES. [ARTICLE]

CONDENSED STORIES.

The Tatuman Hadn’t Any Prsjudlos Against tha Nagr* But— A negro, a hog and ihe unlawful manner in which tha former sometimes obtains possession of the latter furnish southern members of congress with an apparently exhaustless theme of anecdotes. Here is one that Representative Burgess of Texas has been telling, says tbs Washington Post: la Gonzales, where Mr. Burgess lives, a colored citizen was haled into court on the charge of having appropriated his neighbor’s porker without just compensation or due process of law. A jury was being impaneled, and the defendant’s counsel was fighting hard to assure his client a fair and impartial trial. Each talesman Was subjected to an ordeal of searching questions. Upon one, a local merchant, the lawyer had been especially severe. “Are you sure, the man of the law finally asked, “that you have no prejudice against negroes in general; that you will give the testimony of a negro equal weight with that of a white man ?” “Oh, I haven’t the slightest prejudice in the world,’’ answered the prospective juroif “but I suppose it would be just as well for me to tell you that if I’m on this jury your client had better be able to prove an alibi—for the hog.”