Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-10-25
T.se Cood-For No,hinss.

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have been made to prevent the waste o
property by spendthrifts. The Pdri
taGs gave US these laws, with other
which are no longer in use. The spend
thrift laws have been wisely retained
for tine reason that they tend to keel
families from want and suffering. WheI
a man Is wasting his property so that
his family are liable to become panpers
it is the duty of the officers OF the tow
IN which he lives to ask the courts 7.
declare him spendthrift, and to ap,
( point guardian oyer him. This peti-
ton, once made, cannot be withdrawn,
for 1t is made for the benefit of the
I spen1thrft's family, as we'll as TO secure
Z the town from ever having to support
them After guardian has been ap-
pointed the spendihrift cannot MAKE
any binding contracts except for neces-
sarleS, such as food and clothing III
he sells any of hi, property, his guar
dian can take 1t away from the buyer.
Money borrowed TO pay a lawyer for
opposing the app ointment of the guar
dian must be repal1, Bargains made
by the speadthrift and agreed to by the
guardian ere binding. He must bring
his lawsuits, il he has any, in his own
name. The guardian must see that he
has a good LAWYER, aud that the action
Is properly managed. For example a: a
guardian once brought suit for divorce
against the wife of his Spendthrift ward,
and the Judge refused to grant 1t, saying:
sit could not be known that the party
ever gave his assent to the prosecution.
III he wishes divorce and has good
ground TO obtain one, he must file his
hbel( (petitiOH) In his own name. Iii the
property has been obtained from the
spendthrift By fraud, his guardian can
get 1t back, though the fraud was com
mltted before his appointment. IL Is
the guardians duty TO see that his ward
does not suffer from want. When the
spendthrilt property Is entirely used
mp, the guardian may spend his own
money anu look to the townfor payment.
He cannot sell the wards land without
tine consent OF the officers of the town.
They are liable for the speIdthrift's
support If the estate Is not large enough,
ana therefore have Il right 10 object to
any change III the property III winch 1t
Is Invested For examples of spend
thrIfts, we may point to the Idlers,
whom We see iOuuging before low places
IN which liquors are sold. In these
places, they recklessly waste their time
and their money in drinking, gambling
and dissipation. Besides these res trants
the criminal law provides for the punish
lnent vi spenGthnits. Habitual drunk
ards, the most common class of spend
thrltts, form Il large part Oi the ma5l-
tauts of every jail. \ crime Is not ex-
cuseJ because the offender WAS intoXi-
Gated when 1t was committed. On tins
point a distinguished Judge laid down
the law as fOllo7s: Although the uss
of intoxicating liquors does 10 some ex-
tent blind the reason hnd exasperate the
passion, vet, rs "a man voluntarily brings
1t upon himself, he cannot use 1t as an
excuse or Justification or extenuatlon OF
crime. Gambling, another way IN which
a man may be II spendthrift, Is offense
against the law. Buildings used for
gambling are what are called, legally,
common Euisaace5 and the owners are
liable to imprisonment. Implements
and tools used hy gamblers are daily
seized and destroyed by the police OF
our large cities. II person loses
sum OF money by gambling, he can
bnug law su,I against the winner, and
get II all back. Spendthrifts who waste
their time and money III gaming houses
grog-shOps are plnIshed by beIuG seat
To prison. These safeguards and PUNISH
ments do much good by warning foolish
people from wee, and by saving families
from the want and suffering OF poverty.