Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-10-09
COTTREILS In 81 ORIQA.
"A Judge Who Had the Interests of the
State at Heart,

"a good deal of surprise has been
expressed by newspapers. a man who
has recently returned from Florida said
to q n. Z. Tribune writer, that this
fellow Cottrell, the fighting mayor of
Cedar Keys should find it possible to
terrorize and subiugate an entire town,
as he is said to have done. To one
who has lived in the small towns of the
southern part of Florida the situation
is easily understood. There are few
exceptions to the rule that the govern
ment of any people is just about what
large class of the community is con-
tented to have it. This holds good, in
my opinion, from the vast empire of
Russia down to the little town of Cedar
Keys. And Judge from the tyran-
nical policy pursued by the car
and the outrageous boldness of the
festive Cottrell that each has an equal
" large influential and admiring back
ing in proportion to the extent of his
domain.
Il have just been spending winter
in a growing town near the gulf coast
of a southern Florida county, where
there is just such clique in control of
municipal affairs as there must be in
Cedar Keys. This clique is led by the
county judge. however, and he main
tains his authority, not by means of
the shotgun, but by the processes of
the court. The rascally decisions he
gives in trumpedup suits against the
enemies of his gang would make dull
reading, as rule, to any but those
Immediately interested in them, but
one case which [ had him decide my
self had grotesque touch of humor in
it.
Zone of the supporters of the court
house gang, as the clique is called, had
picked quarrel, by persistent effort,
with one of the opponents oft clique
and had drawn wicked-looking knife,
of great length and keen edge, from
his bootleg, with which he attempted
to stab his opponent. The latter. see
ing the knife, drew a revolver, lev
eled it at the ruffian's head, and COM
manded him to put away his knife
The man did so and sneaked out of the
store, where scene occurred, without
saying another word. In the course
of ten minutes he came back with the
sheriff and the town marshal. They
arrested the man who had drawn the
revolver, lodged him in horribly hot
sitting jail, where clouds of mosquitoes
and wretched negro or two were his
only companions, and there left him
for the night.
The next day about noon he was
brought before the Judge and charged
with carry .ng concealed and murderous
weapons about his person, within the
limits of the town. This is a con-
vennnt law for the courthouse gang,
who all 90 armed and never enforce
the law except in regard to their
enemies. The prisoner was fined $40.
He paid it without saying word
knowing how useless an appeal would
be, and then made similar charge
against his opponent for carrying the
knife in his bootleg. The knife was
exhibited in court, and most murder
ous-looking tool it was, fit TO carve
mans heart out, in fact; but the Judge,
who seemed also to act as counsel for
the accused member of his gang. ap-
pealed to the crowd in the room, as a
sort of the jury, and said: DO you
call this a murderous weapon? No,
gentlemen, this is simple pruning
knife, peaceful tool of husbandry, a
mere agricultural instrument. Fine a
man for carrying the implements of
his avocation about him? Never, gen.
tlemen. To punish gentleman for
carrying pruning-knife in Florida
would be blow at the great orange
growing industry of this state, which
it shall never be said | was the first
man to strike. The charge is dismissed
with s. costs to be paid by the COM
plainant. ,"