National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1877-05-23
BROOKS GOES FOR HIS OLD CLOTHES
One Of the Adventures Of the Herb Doctor
A Game He Played on the Court.

One OF the Adventures Of the Herb Doctor |
A Game He Played ON the Court.
On Thursday, the 10th instant, the case of
John +. Brooks, charged with keeping dis |
reputable house. came up before Justice Olin
on appeal from the Police Court, where he was
fined 500. John is the fat and black herb
doctor whose rancho gu ID street, near the
Young Mems Christian Association building,
was raided BY the police about six weeks ago.
Brooks did not appear In court, but his counsel,
Mr.. Darlington, entered plea Of guilty, hoping
ut the same time that the court would deal
with him as lenicntly rs possible.
Where Is the manf l don't see him. re-
marked the Court, looking around the room.
He has concluded to accept the situation,
replied the lawyer, "and has gone home to put
on his old clothes to 20 to Jail in"
Cant he go In his new clotheSf"
"He prefers wearing the old ones"
The Court affirmed the sentence of the Po-
lice Court, with the addition Of costs. In ease
Of default In paying the fine the sentence was
SIX months In jail.
He u poor man. observed the lawyer
and opened barber shop, and tried to get the
amount Of the fine by shaving, hut business
was poor and he gave 1t up"
! Cant he raise the fncY' asked the Court.
| "Onc hundred dollars is rather high figure
for barber to raise by shaving"
well, let him go to Jail for seven months.
| Where is he u
i
toilet" concluded the lawyer, as he picked up
| his hat.
The "Doctor's' desire to keep his best clothes
/ in good order was commcndablc, but IL tran
| spired that he came II over that court and that
lawyer in q way which should be despiscd.
John told his lawyer after they had decided to
give up the ship, that he thought he had better
go home, and slip OF some Of his fine toggery
lie waddled out Of the courthouse, and
waddled away, like Tweed. to parts unknown,
That evening, when the bailiffs went to collect
their prisoners for the jail, II was expected
that Brooks would be there with his "Old clos
on, but he wasn't. Nothing was said about his
absence outside Of the Marshal's office, and no.
body except John and a few friends knew that
he was anywhere, except costly tucked away
In cell at the Jail, wearing out his old pants
On a stone scat. Yesterday bench warrant
Tor the Doctors arrest was left at police head
quarters.
The Doctor is big and fat and very black
but he is Us sly and sharp Us fox. When he
left the court house he didn't 10 far away, but
took up his quarters In u house on Louisiana
avenue next to the Seaton house, Of which tn,
lower part Is occupied as q Partnership. II,
lid not appear on the street, but contentet
himself with taking shifts Of fresh air in tn,
hack yard where he spent much Of his tim,
iolling Ia luxurious leisure and blowing away
| LIQUIDS Of tobacco smoke lie was Observer
| ierc on one or two occasions by persons VIII
| new him, but who did not know that he wa
| wanted at court This hiding place Is hardl,
| uorr than square from the City Hall an,
,,olice headquarters, but John knew that 70
hat reason II would be one Of the last place
20 be suspected.
Detectives prDevitt and McElfresh, how
ever, had knowledge Of his whereabouts, AM