Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-06-13
Constable Patton Replies.
IRONToN, Mo-, June 1

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IRoNToN, Mo-, June 18th, 1889.
Ed. RegiSter-In your last issue you ar
quite severe on the officers for arresting
students from the Washington University
and from the tone of your article one woult
think that they are privileged class to 1nsul
people at will, use indecent and vulgar Ian
guage on the streets to the great annoyance
Of the families thereon, whereas if they hat
been from the country and been guilty o
such action and the officers had not arrested
them then you would have howled about thu
officers not doing their duty, and it doe
seem not only to me, but to the "better class
of society,"" that it is clear case Of "you arr
damned If you do and damned if you don't. >
Now, Mr.. Editor, as you are given to going
off ''haf cooked" or without hearing the
facts on both sides, take the liberty OF CIV
ing you the facts as they occurred. On the
evening Of May 31st these young men came
marching down the street about 10 O'Clock
singing and using the most vulgar and in
decent language. They W ere very noisy and
very vulgar, which caused complaint to be
made to the Constable who followed them
half way to Arcadia, where they were ar
rested and brought back to the courthouse.
Judge Dinger, not being in his office, the
boys asked to go into the saloon until Judge
Dinger could be sent for, which request was
| granted and messenger sent after Judge
Dinger who was at home in bed, who, to
sage the boys from going to Jail until morn
| ing, kindly went to his office where charge
was made by Colman B. Hill and Rufus
| Heath for disturbing the peace, and VIM. r..
Edgar (who during Mr.. Jordan's absence
was acting prosecuting attorney filed COM
plant as follows: "Did then and there un-
lawfully and wilfully disturb the peace Of
the neighborhood, to wit: the city Of Iron
ton and the peace Of the person of Colman
Hill by loud and unusual noise, by loud
offensive and indecent conversation. against
the peace and dignity of the State" Then,
of course, the Justice had but one course to
pursue, viz: Issue the warrants. The
Justice fixed the bond at $500 for the whole
party-not $500 each, as stated by the Pro-
lessor. The Justice patiently waited until
the Constable sent for the Professor, and
yielded his office to them, leaving them
alone for consultation. When he was called
in they all plead guilty to the charge. The
Justice fixed the lowest possible fine 81 and
cost, reducing his own fee from $40 which
he was entitled, to 81, and the Constable re-
duced his from s. which he was emitted to,
to s., letting each off, fine and cost, at about
81 80, for which kindness the REGISTER and
the Professor, as also the boys themselves,
abuse the officers who simply did their duty.
Thus illustrating
''No man e'er felt the halter draw
With a good opinion of the law"
Now, would it not have been more becom-
ing In these young men to have thanked the
officers who befriended them, let them off so
easy, instead of abusing them for the per-
Torrance of their duty, especially after they
had plead guilty? Could the Justice after
their plea of guilty say to them, "you are
liars; you are not guilty?" 1 have here
tofore entertained a very high opinion
of the Washington University, but l
must confess that my opinion, as
we'll as the shelter class of society,""
here has materially changed after seeing the
instructions of the Professor, who encour-
ages rowdyfsm and lawlessness on the part
of his students. When 1 was young l was
1ustiu CtGu W lCSpCCG Sldy Uut lhC
Professors in charge of this squad, if they
do not instruct, they at least encourage them
to disrespect and insult old gray haired men.
very bad training for youg men
in the Washington University; and not only
this, but they encourage lying, by the Pro-
fessor setting the example. The false
statements published by yourself and in the
German and English papers in st. Louis
shows to what degree of infamy this lawless
set of young engineers" can attain. In re-
gard to the killing OF the pig referred to by |
by the Professor, permit me to say that If
the party who owned the pig desired to pros
ecute the case, no doubt about conviction |
for one of the students, carrying |
a Ratchet, on passing the pig was seen to |
strike the pig, splitting its head |
and killing 1t instantly; and it seems to me |
that instead of the Professor trying to deny |
for the students he should have shown him.
self a gentleman by requiring the offender
to pay for the pig, and teach him to be a
gentleman in the future. The department
of these young men don't certainly speak
very well for their instructor, the professor,
not for the Washington University.
AS regards the drunken Constable, those
who were with him that night well know
that he was not drunk or even drinking,
and will so testify. So far as the Justice
they abuse so much is concerned, it Is not
necessary to say anything in his defence,
except that he has, besides fillingl many
other important offices, been Justice of the
Peace for about 80 years, and his decisions
have stood the test of the Circuit and Su
preme Courts, being himself a lawyer with
an unbiased and unparalleled mind and
fearless in decisions. Even yourself will
admit that to our officers the credit for the
quiet and freedom from lawlessness in our
is due.
In regard to the payment by Judge Emer-
son of the fine and cost in these cases, every
body here knows that he Is not noted for his
great liberality or charity to the needy, but
has great desire to pose as liberal man
when his charity is bestowed upon the rich
and those not needy. He never gives with
put a mOHpe, aad where it will be well adyer-
Used. We have very many objects of charity
IN our own community where he lives, but
he is not known to have contributed to the
poor, hungry widows and orphans who