The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-02-09
Bro. Gardner on I,awyers.


There may bs more truth than poetry
Ia the following remarks made by the
sable philosopher OF the Lime Kiln Club.
Each day as look ober my paper"
said the old man as the lights were
turned up, Il see case OF embezzle-
ment, wholesale robbery, breach Of
trust or misuse of odder peoples money.
One day 1t am de cashier of bank; de
mex day it am city or county treas
urer: de mex it am some cOnfidenshul
clerk or bank president, or de treasurer
Ut some corporation! 1t Is an era of
stealth Al embezzlin' an fraud. No
man who has money In de hands of a
friend or employee feels safe. No man
who depends upon another man knows
what a day may bring forth.
What brung bout dis state OF afiairsp
Who profits by itP Who aids de offend
ers to escape2'
There was silence throughout the
hall as the President paused and looked
up and down. Samuel Shin was about
to rise up and explain that he hadn't
made a dollar out of it yet, and didn't
expect TO, when Pickles Smith hit him
with the big end of potatoe and
Brother Gardner continues:
Il arraign de bar of de kentry an
charge de lawyers. big an little, wild
bein' de direct cause Of dis reign Of
kuavsry. Three men outer five am
honest only until deere am chance to
make a haul by bcin' dishonest One
man outer three will he dishonest on all
occashuns whar dar Am chance 10 es-
cape consequences. If dar was no law
to punish dishonesty, we wouldn't find
one man in twenty doin' de honest
thing fur principles sake. It am de
fear OF consequences which keeps thous-
ands Of clerks an cashiers an treas
urers honest.
AN what do we lawyers say to
cherry man who's fingers itch to make .
haulp Dey might as well advertise at
regular rates dat dey will guarantee to
clear 'sm Of de law fur sartin sum.
Let me steal S75. 900 in cash an nine
tenths Of the lawyers of Detroit will be
eager to defend me--tO effect a COM
promise-to hush IL up--to clear me Of
punishment. About dc best legal talent
in America makes a spec atty of de-
fendin' criminals. Any lawyer am
looked upon rs good huff for Prose-
cutin' Attorney, while do VERY keenest
talent am reserved fur defense of
thieves, burglars and law breakers.
Time after time men have stolen or
embezzled, an de lawyers have taken q
sheer of de plumber to clear 'em. We've
had half dozen cases right yere widin
two vars. an we am sartin to have mo-.
Let me steal ton of coal, an up 90.
Let me get my claws on $4,000 an I
doan' go up wort shucks. ! may be
rested an toted of to Jail. but inside of .
a week de case am settled up. an I
walk de streets hero. DE lawyer return
$40, 900 of de money. pocket 80, 975, an
han mo fifty as reward fur bringin'
'em fat case.
Suppose it war known dat cherry
burglar fairly convicted would receive
twenty years in prison, wild no posi-.
bility Of pardon. would we have one
burglary whar' we now have twop Who
makes burglary = payin' purfeshunp
If clerk who embezzled was sartin
to receive 3 five or ten var sentence.
how many cases ofembezzlement would
you h'ar Of in q year? An who makes
embezzlement a payin' biznessp De
lawyer.
.'lf dat Rochester bank President am
sent to State Prison for twenty years,
what will be de effeck on odder Roches-
ter bank presidents? But he won't be.
De lawyers have gathered to his aid an
will defeat justice.
IL am 'spokin' what believe to be
de solemn truf. when ! say TO you dat
law has become farce, an lawyers de
middle-men between robbers an de
robbed. De question am bow to break
dc law--not how to enforce 1t. It am
not how to put thief into prison, but
how to keep him out. It am not how
to punish dishonest officials. but how to
gently squeeze out as much as dey kin
restore. an forgive the remainder. Let
us purceed to bizness, feelin' dat what
ever crimes we commit We stan two
chances Of goin' clear to one of punish.
ment."