The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-07
TIE JUSTICE counr ON WHEELS
A Peculiar Juegerpaut Of the Law New At
Large ID Connecticut.

Peculiar JueEernaut Of the Law New At
| Large ID Connecticut.
NoHwIcH. Aug. Gone Of the most peculiar
| and indefatigable Institutions In Connecticut
lie the Justice Court on wheels. Its component
parts arc two-seated livery wagon and horse.
a prosecuting agent Of the county. a Justice OF
the Peace. and deputy sheriff or two. The
function OF the rolling stock half Of the insti-
| tuition is to trundle the court about remote
| rural regions, and the motive Of the judicial
| half Is to punish violations OF the license law
| In no. license towns. Each county OF tho state
| has one or more Justice Courts on wheels, but
| they arc n great deal livelier and moro ener-
| getic in the eastern end OF it. Wilimantic Is
| the home quarter OF the percgrinat!ng court in
| Windham county, Norwich OF similar Judi
| cial affair in this county. Tho Norwich court
is composod-that Is to say, tho judicial part Of
| it-of Prosecutor II. H. Burnham. LAWYER and
Justice Of the Peace Franklin II. Brown and
Deputy Shcrifrs Story and Park.
1t is noted as a queer circumstance in Con-
| necticut that the mere fact that a town votes
| no license does not suffice TO eliminate or
| subdue the thirst of the people thereof: hence
| Illicit vendors OF balm-sometne they are
| shopkeepers In the villages and oftener far
mers among the lonely hils-undertake to do
II on the sly. They have to work very dis
| creetly. but there Is a tenn pting lot OF money in
the traffic II they are successful in eluding
| prosecution. because they pay the State no
| license. 1t Is the part OF the court
| on wheels to watch for these law
| breakers with the eye OF an eagle. and.
| II there is evidence to warrant 1t, pounce on
| them with the claws OF the bird OF freedom.
| The court is sort OF secret society and a
| diminutive Council Of Ten all in itself: mys-
| terry shrouds all its deliberations and out
| Goings. Like Miiton's angel 1t smltes once.
| and. unlike that avenger. 1t Is extremely likely
| to strike again within day or two. especially
| II there is any money in n strike Of the kind.
| Tho court rises at daybreak. harnesses it's
| steed rides like the wind. and is apt to fall
| foul OF q hapless dispenser OF balm Just as he
| Is sitting down in overuls and one suspender
| to milk one u his brihdle cows, Theoretically
| a mans house may he his castle. but that
| glittering generality of the law. doesn't
bother the attaches OF the court on wheels.
Before the man has got through milk
ing one side Of his COW tho two
| DEPUTY sherirs have rnnsacked his house from
cellar to att c. and i'll fares 1t with him IL the
| officers uncn,th any contrabapi beverages in
his castle. The court sits right down In the
| on three complaints for violating the license
| law. fines him and sometimes sentences him
to jail. Til. man may then settle up his ac-
| count with the State or he may appeal. Tho
whole business is disposed OF within an hour
or two. and tho court Is on it's wheels again.
AZ part part Of the oney out Of which the vender
| is mule ed goes into the States Golfers. and
tie rest to remunerate the officers for the ef.
fort they have made; Justice. Prosecutor and
| der gets very badly left. pecuniarily. Thus
the court finds" its own oil. with which to
keep its own wheels turnipg smoothly. some
| cessivc raids on the part Of the court are UNI
successful and then the oil becomes caked in
the, court aXes. the wheels creak and turn
| with difficulty. and the court olerates with
more caution Tor season.
| its operations, however According to Il steel
| trnp clause OF tho Connecticut LICENSE statute.
which. next to the rich mans 1i passage way int,
| icing dead cinrh Of any device that was ever
Invented. M Illicit v"nder Of rum may be fined.
things, Thus if a man has been proven t. be
! guilty OF selling liquor unfawfu!ly. he. may DO
guaS With S'i intent 4"a to H nd of
Ing, the reputation of kecmng. LIQUOR
with intent to sell" COMPARED with the triple
provision law John ,Talyin,,s schene,of fore
ordination and predestlnation dosen't appear
persons SC the State OF Wien It en- en
acted that instrument. commgned thus. with
h ssE 10 not Ss snrs sr to pash
| but to snatch bnlS!-headed; II peradvcnture
any, guilty man should ,evade one or even, two
a consummation was intended, by the
u u. II
amply attained. The effect OF It is
extremely ",sarchinE,' and only very
easnf er is e to ss,se Ms ws
of the 10 .omotive Justice Court half a dozen
times; The trouble is. though; thar few CON
o hs u if
they Simply take an appeal from tho Justice
result is the docket Of the latter court is lum-
hered up with license cases from year to year.
After Will. who'll RACES OF them are thrown
trial Of them.
Most OF the complaints alleging violations OF
preferred by malicious or jealous neigh bors Of
the accused persons. and; AS it is easy to prove
man. It will be readily seen that rank injustice
Is often rerpetrateh. especially since tho name
of the person making the accusation is not d.
There is plenty, q fun in the Justice Court
trials. and some OF them are queerer than any
DoGberry. "A typical ar4ir of the Kind this
week was the case OF the state Of Connecticut
southeast of this city. Mr. Main is one OF the
sshrewdest and sharpest Yankee farmers in the
Thrift and sagacity has accumulated $4,000
or $4,000. he Is atip.top coon and Squirrel
reau"nty ' Visit his A hosp 1E 'ne homa
to partcipate with ht% in the sport
Justice Court on wheels got the idea that
Sell was violating the license law. and day
or two ago it rolled down on him-a jugger-
naut OF vengeance. In the court. as usual.
were Prosecutor Hurnham. Justice OF the
Peace Frank lin II. Brown. and Sherifrs Story
and Park. AS usual. the three fashionable
charges In license law prosecutions were pre-
fcrred against him, one OF which charged him
with, selling another with keeping. and the
third with tho reputation Of Keeping and sell
Ing liquors contrary tn law" The court
Numbered into Mr., Mains yard early and
the latter received his visitors atyahly
First the Court looked about Seth's
pleasant and PROSPEROUS premises. went
down cellar and up to the attic. pried into all
the belongings thereto, OPENED boxes and bar
res. sounded floor and roof boards and fire.
places. and shifted about generally. and the
result of ITS inyes' igatun was that 1t promptly
nolled the first two counts Of the Indictment
against him. but tried him on tho third one.
~ WIS warm day so the court, which had
shuihed of its wheclcd attachment. G Il under
the apple trees in Mr. Mains bnrk ward. The
har legal 4nol consisted Of wide eXpanse OF
tho IRE on Plains landscape. Justice Brown
presided with great dignity. however, In the
foreground OF 1t. II was AN iiyllic scene. md
wayiarers who logged along the lonely. dusty