American Old Time Song Lyrics: 31 Ten Years In Cherry Hill
Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 31
TEN YEARS IN CHERRY HILL.
Oh, ye citizens of Philadelphia, come listen unto me,
And will sing you a few lines, all for to let you see
How our judge and jury they do our laws fulfill.
By sending their innocent victims to the walls of Cherry Hill.
It's about one Johnny McMullen that I am going to speak.
You all have heard the sentence that, he received last week;
When the people heard the sentence, oh, it made their hearts stand still.
He was sentenced to hard labor to the walls of Cherry Hill.
He being intoxicated, all on the ninth of May,
To the house of one James Philips with an axe he made his way;
He found him laying on his bed, and swore his blood to spill.
Not thinking he would suffer for it in the walls of Cherry Hill.
First the cry of murder the policemen in did pour.
They beat him with their billies and they knocked him on the floor;
They dragged him off to prison, and there to wait until
He would receive his sentence to the walls of Cherry Hill.
While he lay down in prison, his trial came up soon;
He was taken to the court-house all on the ninth of June;
he was tried for assault and battery, with no intent to kill,
He was sentenced to hard labor ten years in Cherry Hill.
Now you that's read his sentence, oh, don't you think it hard.
You all remember the murderer who came from the Nineteenth Ward,
It's one John Alexander-Al Hales' blood be did spill -
And the sentence he received for that was five years in Cherry Hill.
God help that judge and jury that had this case on hand,
They need not hope for mercy when before the judgment stand;
For if they get their sentence, it'll be a bitter pill,
They will be sent to a warmer place than the walls of Cherry Hill.
Now I've sung to you my song. "I have no more to say;
But when we get an honest judge it will be a happy day;
And when we get twelve honest men our jury-box to fill,
The innocent need never fear the walls of Cherry Hill.
