Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-03-12
STRAW BAIL.


How the Business is Conducted in Large
and Bailee.
II read the other morning an inter-
view with Prosecuting Attorney Robi-
son, in which he said he proposes to
collect the forfeiture bonds that have
accumulated during the past four
years. Does he intend to collect all of
them?" inquired a gentleman who was
formerly criminal lawyer in another
city, but engaged in other business
upon coming to Detroit few months
ago.
Eyes, 1 believe so, though he will
probably find some straw bonds before
he gets through the list"
Eyes, I guess so. OF course don t
know anything about it, but from a
conversation l had with a party about
the time l came here l should think it
likely that he will find considerable
straw. This individual told me that
they had straw bail scheme that
worked beautifully
''What is it?''
cit was announced in the papers that
I was coming to Detroit, and of course
everybody supposed that [ would prac-
tice criminal law here. One day a very
clever safe-blower, whom [ had de-
Tended and acquitted out there, came to
me and said: You'd better stand in
with the straw-bailing when you get to
Detroit"
Il asked him what he meant, and he
replied: There don't no slick ones go
o,-o. ~, ,.ooI from, notrpit. pnthi i'm o.
but the slouches. Them we don't care
for.
IS What is the game?' inquired I.
8. when one of us gets pinched the
rest of us. and some lawyer who is fly
and stands in with us, go to work to
get him off, and we don't get left. We
looks the case up to see if they've got
any evidence worth shucks. Ii they
haven't. we stand trial to get acquit-
ted. If they have. we 60 to work to
see how good an alibi we can get. An
alib amt safe to go to trial with
nowadays unless you've got two or
three respectable witnesses, and they
cost big money, for they know they
can get it. An alibi is nearly always
dangerous, but sometimes a fellow has
got TO take chances. [ seen "a pretty
an abb as ever was all knocked out of
shape over in Chicago awhile ago. Big
Nike was before the beak for turning
a blokc's pockets wrong side out, and
we got him three AS good W tnesses as
ever you see. They was a saloon-keep-
er and couple of freedmen graobers
that he sa was all right. They was
to swear that at the time Mike stood
the fellow up they and Mike was in the
back room of the saloon playing seven
up, and the saloon-keeper was to say
that Nike got stuck for eight games
and gave him a stand-off. That would
make it all sound right, you know, and
make the jurymen laugh.
I'D d you ever see nicer al bi than
that? Hanged if one of them lunch
fiends didn't spoil it. 1t was all ar
ranged that the saloon-keeper was to
testify first, and the other two chaps
were to swear just as he did. One of
them chumps came in late and didn't
hear when twas Mike did the job, only
he knew twas a Wednesday,
8" When was it you played them
games of seven-up?' inquired the Prose-
cutting Attorney.
{" "Wednesday night, said the chump.
Z" What day of the month was it?'
said the Prosecuting Attorney.
6" Wednesday, said the chump.
Are you positive that you and
these other men were playing seven-up
with Mike from nine until twelve
o'clock last Wednesday night?' said the
Attorney.
"' Yes, sr,' said the chump.
Well, perhaps you was said the
Prosecuting Attorney, but Mike was in
Jail at that time, and it was three
weeks ago last Wednesday night that
the robbery was committed
I" Mike got ten years all on account
of that chump.
d" No, stree, the bail racket is the
safest, and it don't generally cost more
than an alibi. You see our lawyer gets
some friend of his who has got plenty
of stuff to deed three or four houses
and lots to some fellow we know, and
he goes into court and swears he owns
them and don't owe cent on 'em.
That gets us out on bail, we Jump, the
deed is torn up, the lawyer and his
friend whack up $500 or $500, every
body's safe, and no harm done Balls
is better than alibis. You can work
them when you can't nothing else. -
Detroit Ne,De