Chapter 8
As soon as the service was complete, Ben intended to hustle his prisoner and her children back to the jail house. However, he was intercepted by Judge Lemke on his way out of the church.
“Let’s head back inside, Chauncy,” the other man suggested as he led the way.
“Yes, your Honor.”
Once everyone was resettled in the front pew, they waited quietly for the church to empty. But as the pallbearers moved into place, Roseanna stood and placed her hand on the simple pine box. “Thank you for trying, sir. I’ll never forget that.”
“Now then,” the judge began when they were alone. “I presume this young lady is the one you mentioned, Sheriff.”
“Yes, your Honor. Please allow me to introduce Miss Roseanna Sherman and her children. Mrs. Hilda Grosspointe is also present as a chaperone for the prisoner,” Ben answered.
“Very good, Sheriff. I will honor your request to quietly proceed with this case, as there are indeed several questions regarding the legitimacy of the charges being brought against Miss Sherman.”
With a sigh of relief, Ben answered, “Thank you, sir.”
Turning to the frightened young woman, Harlan Lemke gestured for her to stand. “Miss Sherman, we will conduct an informal investigation into your claims at this time. Should it be warranted, this court will withhold further judgment until a deeper review of the facts can be performed. However, let me advise you that everything you say will become a part of the court record and may be used against you in any official proceedings. Is that clear?”
Roseanna nodded and tried to still the shaking in her legs.
“Um, yer Honor?” Hilda tentatively asked, raising her hand like a schoolgirl.
“Yes, Mrs. Grosspointe?”
“Would it be alright if Rosie sits? Her babe was only born three days ago, and she’s still not recovered.”
Harlan nodded and watched as the girl slowly sank to the pew and reclaimed the infant. When the prisoner was resettled, he asked again, “Are you clear about the details of this proceeding?”
“Yes, your Honor,” Roseanna answered in a tiny voice.
“Very well. Let’s begin with the pertinent details. Please identify yourself and each of the children present, ma’am.”
“I am Roseanna Sherman Danbury. I was born in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in August of 1852. My sons Caleb and Arthur were also born at my family home in Chambersburg in May 1866 and October 1867. Jacob was born in Philadelphia in January of this year. We arrived here on Saturday, November 13 th , and Sebastian was born at the jail in the early morning hours of the 14 th .”
The judge finished scribbling his notes and then looked up at the Defendant. “Danbury? Are you related to the former Sheriff, then?”
“Yes, sir. We were wed by proxy nearly four weeks ago. Sheriff Chauncy has my copy of the Marriage Certificate I received in Baton Rouge.”
Pondering the claim, Harlan Lemke sat back in the chair he’d been provided and considered the girl through narrowed eyes. “And how did the marriage come about?”
Roseanna swallowed her unease and spoke softly. “My Pa and Sheriff Danbury served together at Shiloh. And when my Pa got wind of what my Ma intended for us girls, he tried to make arrangements with men he trusted. Pa chose Arnold for me. But Pa died before all the plans were made, and my Ma shipped me off to the man who sired my boys.”
“You’ll need to explain yourself, Miss Sherman. I do not understand why your father would make such arrangements or why you claim the Matthews children as your own.”
“I believe that’s a mighty long story, your Honor,” Hilda said when an answer wasn’t immediately forthcoming. “Can she tell it in her own way?”
“I’ll allow it.”
“Thank you, sir,” Roseanna whispered, garnering her courage. “There were eight of us left at home when my Pa went to serve the Union. I have to think my Ma did the best she could with seven of us to feed, but bad things started to happen, and I don’t know how it all went so wrong.
“My oldest sister was raped by the raiders that came through in the fall of ’62, and she gave birth to a baby girl the following summer. So, when Ma sent me to work at a fine house in Philadelphia, I thought she was trying to protect me from something like that.
“I was eleven when I arrived at the Matthews’ estate, and I was sent to work upstairs straight away.” Roseanne stilled and lowered her head in mortification. “It wasn’t long before Gerald Matthews showed his interest,” she softly divulged. “When Mrs. Matthews realized I was carrying Caleb, she sent me straight home.
“Ma was furious when I arrived. I didn’t know it then. But my Ma knew Mr. Matthews’ intentions to sire children on me when I left, and she worried that she wouldn’t receive the payment he’d promised for any child I bore.
“I am not sure what happened after that because Mr. Matthews began to visit me at my home in Chambersburg. He brought me gifts and made sure there was enough to eat. But he only visited every now and again.
“After Caleb and I survived the delivery, Mr. Matthews insisted that his name be added to the birth certificate. So, each of my boys, except Sebastian, has a hyphenated surname in the church records – Sherman-Matthews.
“But in my Pa’s Bible, I just marked them by the Sherman name.”
When the girl’s voice broke, Judge Lemke suggested a short recess. “Sheriff, this is going to take a while. I suggest we return to your office so Mrs. Danbury and her chaperone can make the children comfortable. And while they see to those matters, I suggest you secure a simple meal we can share after we reconvene.”