Typed as spelled and written
Lena Stone Criswell
THE MARLIN DEMOCRAT
Thirteenth Year - Number 38
Marlin, Texas, Thursday, November 20, 1902
HOLDS THE COAT FOR COSTS.
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Another Case Wherein Judge Frazier Declined A Fee.
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One of the first cases to come up before Judge Alex Frazier was an application
for a search warrant to regain possession of an over coat stolen from him by
another darkey who sold it to a third.
Constable Peebles, armed with a warrant,
found and took possession of the coat alright.
When it came to paying the costs, the
complainant had not the wherewith to liquidate and Judge Frazier promptly
ordered that the aforesaid coat remain in the possession of and under the
jurisdiction of the court until all costs in the processing incurred be fully
paid.
This bring to mind another incident that
occurred while Mr. Frazier was justice of the peace of old precinct No. 6, as it
existed before the lines were changed so as to put McClanahan in precinct No. 1.
J. N. Adams was constable at the time.
A party from Limestone county had been
arrested on a charge of toying with the affections of a young lady whom he
afterwards refused to marry. The complaint was filed in Judge Frazier's
court and an examing trial was ordered. The girl was present as the
leading witness for the prosectuion. The defendant made strenuous efforts
to get the case postponed until the following Monday when he would return and
marry the girl and thus end the matter. It was late in evening but the
court was obdurate and told the prisoner that he must then and there marry the
girl or go to jail. The defendant reluctantly took the former alternative
and while a messenger was dispatched to Marlin for the license, he remained a
prisoner at court.
It was ten o'clock at night when the
ceremony was performed that made the prosecutrix and the prosecuted man and
wife.
After the ceremony was over the groom said
that he did not have any money and proposed to give his wife to the court as a
marriage fee.
This the court
declined with thanks and the bride and groom departed. That was fifteen
years ago and the couple have several children now and to all appearances are
living happily.
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by The Democrat, Marlin, Falls Co., Texas