Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-12-28
BEFORE HIS HONOR.
SCENES AND INCIDENTS AT YESTERDAYS
POLICE COURT.
Some Very Tough Looking UnOrtunatss Arrai8ned
and Sent Up in Default
Of Payment

The Police Court showed the efforts OF
Christmas, yesterday morning, by an un-
usually full and interesting docket Most
of the "docketed" ones were full, too, OF
had been; but if the reader will spare us
this time we will not spring such a wildly
funny joke on him again, or at lelst not
without previous warning. The police on
Saturday and Sunday made an unusually
large haul, and when the great majority OF
the unwashed learned that there were
over thirty cases to be heard Yesterday
morning they focked to the Police Court
in such numbers that the sign standing
o only" might have been appropriately
shown.
All classes of society were represented In
the crowd, but the majority OF the faces
gave evidence that their possessors had
SHARED neither style nor expense TO axe
the Christmas a Jolly one. But our muslng
was cut short by the entrance OF his
Honor" followed by the long line VI
Christmas observers. There were several
women among the prisoners, each looking
more or less ~dilapidated. while N lady
who sported q rich braid of auburn tresses
and a most artistically blackened eye,
looked as though she had had a perfectly
delightful day, thank you. ,
The Judge took his seat, and several
policemen requested in an intensely audi
BILE voice, that the gentlemen would take
off their hats and Sefp order in the Court.
The hats were removed, and after the
room had become quiet the prisoners
were invited up to the bar, one by one, to
tell a Christmas story about themselves.
And what whole pages of romance were
told, too. DRINKS, ~disorderlies, prostl-
tutes, Migrants, all were represented, and
one after the other they we're fined, com
mitted or released rs the nature OF their
offense demanded.
Sad as the whole thing was there were
some cases who had celebrated in such
an entirely original manner that 1t was
impossible to keep from laughing ut them.
One young man with q most radiant eX-
preston of humor, had been discovered on
Christmas night, prancing wildly along
the stone bridge swinging q red
lantern and ordering some imaginary per-
son to stop that train" On inquirinS lnto
the case it was found that he had Dor
rowed the lantern from an unfinished gas
pipe trench, where it had been left TO
warn passers by from dislocatlng their
spine in trying to step over the trench,
and that the train was the product OF II
strong imagination, aided by Christmas
beverage. $50 and costs" was the result
OF this eccentric little freak.
Several other plain, unadorned DRINKS
were assessed 81 each and then the assort-
ment of Migrants was examined. One tall,
solemn looking German was accused OF
not having any place to sleep and no
money with which TO hire lodging, but he
told a straight story and told the Judge
that he was a carpenter by trade but was
at present engaged on n little pedestrian
tour from Michigan to Baltimore
Just for the 1un of the thing.
He produced a couple of planes and CHS
els us evidence and HIS Honor, after a mo-
ment's thought, said: well, are you
ready to 90 on to Baltimore now?'
''Y-yaw," replied the prisoner. "Well
then, 90, right away" and rs soon rs he
understood he went and without lettering
around any either. And so the cases came
and went, but space will not
permit n further consideration of them.
But if any citizen feelsa desire to see some
very vivid picture of human nature he
should drop into the Police Court some
morning-sOme Monday morning after
the jolly spirits have been celebrating"
Sunday.