Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-24

Justice Eagle star was then afforded an oppcr-
tunity 20 eross-examine. He TALKED 20 the
woman for awhile aud then iectured the de-
fendsnt on the Nervousness OF his attempt 10
defy the court by sbsenting himsef when
called upon 60 be present Very calmly did be
concerned Mr.. Lodge was guilty Of nothing
but the contempt OF non-sppearanoe; the other
charge was unsustained. This opinion he rem
dered without consultation.
With veil Of gravity all over his benign Fec
lures the chief Justice arose and addressed the
defendant He said. in effect and In Dakota:
Your failure 10 appear before Ne week ago
viii cost you IS"
COMPLICATION ARrEa
The Is proposition did not seem 10 worry
the prisoner at all, although the chances we're
that his cash possessions footed Up less than
SO cents. But Il did not bother me . little
when saw the chief justice Assess Mr.. Lodge
without previously comforting With the re-
msinder Of the bench. such q procedure must
be prolihc OF complications IL was 10 some
degree In this instance. FOR when the presiding
Justice sat down Associate DE sonnet addressed
the guilty wretch in terms that we're decidedly
reassuring so far as MIR. Lodge was concerned,
but Tor me the performance was high comedy
OF the most exalted altitude. The prisoner vas
told that all the chances were against the coll
lection OF the hte, so the IS imposition need
cause him no insomnia. but the court would
nAe TO see HIM later; bad concluded to try him
once more on both charges. The situation WIS
humorous to put it mildly. Here a man bear
ing the ancient aud honorable name of Lodge
had been tried ON an indictment that contained
two counts OF tho moro serious charge he
had been acquitted; for the minor ofense he
had been lined 50; vet the court, of its own
motion, concluded TO wipe out it's proceedings
ana start IN anew. Why tins thusl The
reply came before could ask the question
MOCK TRIAL
without the slightest intention OF doing any
thing funny Justice DE sonnet informed the
defendant that tins trial would not count, DO 70
speak. Members of the Sioux commission he'd
desired 10 see the court at work and 40 there
Was no other known offender within easy reach
he had been arrested and hauled thifher, or
words to that effect Justice Eagle Star then
chatted on the same line of Thought for a time
after which the chief Justice remanded the
prisoner 10 liberty until the following Friday.
Inc door was opened. The court wac closed.
Mr. Lodge evidently thought his feeling. had
oeen needlessly trifed with, but he did not sAy
word. He walked out Of the room with the
AR oil one who, mentally, had been .-butchered
TO make Roman holiday" or something Of
that sort
ENVIRONMENT THE ONLY PUNISHMENT.
AS matter of fact the court Of Indian offenses
cannot impose fine. The judges are generally
selected, as they were in tins case, from among
The best Indians on the reservation; but when
yougl'e them power to ASSESS fines the possibili-
Ties favor wrong doing. IL is on record that
one court got into the habit Of timing all who
we're brought before il. and when the sessions
we're over the court met in executive session
to divide the proceeds pro rata imprisonment
Is the only punishment they can legally
innict. IL Is also the only punishment that
seems TO have repressive eff ect To the
CRIMINALS family the Indian system is most
IAN, because his Incarceration does not bring
with IT any Of the suffering which ordinarily
visits the home OF the white man who has been
properly deprived of his liberty. The squaw
or squaws get the family rations and annuities
Just the same, no matter where the head Of the
household may chance to be.
How Mr.. q. Lodge came out when his case
was up for the second time know not. but &c
does seem as though he was being tried once
or twice too often. Don't You think SO?
GEo. Ii. HANNA