Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1882-02-04
eureka Dailp Sentinel.
SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 4. 1882.
WELL

The students OF Princeton College were
well represented at the recent sitting OF
the Oyer and Terminer in Trenton,
New Jersey. The Courtroom was
thronged with students, and here and
there a professor could be seen. Chief
Justice Beaslcy was On the bench with
associates Stewart, Yard and Apologize.
The prosecuting attorney read an indict-
ment Of the Princeton College freshmen
who smashed street lamps and stoned
professors windows in Princeton one
night last December. The boys would
have avoided observation, but the Court
showed itself no respecter of persons,
and they had to come forward to be
elared at by the curious crowd and listen
to this bit of ancient and unsavory lore:
You have been indicted for having at
the borough OF Princeton. on the 24th day
Of December last, with force and arms,
unlawfully. wilfully and maliciously broken
and DESTROYED Is lamps Of the borough OF
Princeton, the said lamps being then and
there Of the value OF 81 each, against the
peace of the State and the government
and dignity OF the same.
"what have you to say to this In
dictment ?" asked the prosecutor.
The freshmen did not have anything
to say. Their attorney, who was evi-
IDENTIFY one of the boys himself in his
training days, spoke for them. de
wished to enter a plea of non vult con-
tendere. He said that every good citi-
zen would admit that the Grand Jury
had done a proper thing in indictins the
students. 1t was right that they should
understand that they could not break
the law without being treated the same
as the meanest citizen. The offense was
not committed through malice, nor in a
spirit which would stamp it as infamous.
Probably every man had some act OF his
youth to regret, and, conscious of his
W former failings, he should look
l~eniently on the fault Of these boys.
They had expressed their sorrow, and asked
the Court to be l%enient, and not to disgrace
them by a severe punishment. They had
paid for the damage they had done, and
would behave better in the future.
The young bloods must have felt cheap
enough when they listened to this apol-
ogy fit to be made for boys in pinafores.
Nor could they have grown much in
their own estimation when they drank
in the words Of the old-fashioned Judge.
Justice Beasley said that he did not in
tend to be severe, as he believed that
the offenders had already been severely
punished in their W minds, for their
breach of law, in the consciousness of
their disgracefuT situation. They had
brought disgrace upon themselves, sor-
row to their families, and disrepute TO
the institution to which they belonged.
As they had made reparation, he would
deal leniently, but he wished to say
there was a limitation to the liberation
which the public extend to the indiscre-
tons Of youth. The students should re-
member that they possess peculiar adj
vantages, and if they break the laws,
what could be expected Of others less
favorably situated. It was necessary
for the Court to infict punishment, as it
was its duty to protect the property and
rights Of citizens. He would warn the
offenders that in case Of a repetition Of
the offense he would be compelled to in
aiot severe punishment. He had the
power to fine, or imprison in the County
Jail or State Prison. His judgment was
that each Of those who pleaded "non
vult should pay a fine of 800. and stand
committed until the fine and costs were
paid. The students were taken to the
Shsriff's office, where they paid their
fines.