The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-04-03
AT THE WORLDS FAIR.
Between Lend and Lake Detectives Crooks
VIII Fare Hard,

Oh Extracting your WdlloG IfOHl YOUR IedI
pocket, or your diamond stud or pin
from your shirt bosom, or perchance the
solitaire drops from your lady's ears
these will be afforded little opportunity
Of taking advantage of what is known IN
popular phraseology as the claws de-
lays" should they be unfortunate enough
to be s'caught in the act" while engaged
in their nefarious vocation on the
Worlds fair grounds. In a previous let
ter l told about a little structure that
was in course of erection at one end OF
the immense Enclosure, and which was
intended for morgue, where q deputy
coroner would be constantly on duty to.
attend to the dead. Another structure
is now going up at the other end OF the
grounds, only it is altogether outside OF
the fence 1t is intended to be occupied
as a Justice court, and in it a magistrate
will be constantly on duty to the end
that justice may be done to crook and
victim alike.
1t is perhaps a trifie unfortunate that
we can't railroad" criminals in this par
ticular part of the United States. They
do things better in the state of William
Penn, and the majesty Of the law has
never been better exemplifed or vindi-
Gated than it was in the Quaker City
during the progress Of the centennial.
One instance comes forcibly to my mind.
1t was on the Fourth of July of the centen-
NAL year, when the great and imposing
demonstration of all nations took place
in front of Independence hall, that
newspaper correspondent from abroad
essayed to mount the steps to the plat
form reserved for distinguished guests.
AS he put his foot on the first step and
the blue coated Cerberus reached for his
ticket he felt tug at his watch chain
and realized in a second that his time
piece had vanished At the same mo-
| ment he was conscious of the fact that
genteel looking young fellow who had
followed him in single file up to the
stand was now wiggling his way through
the crowd like a worm.
The foreigner, who was agile and fleet
footed, wiggled his way in the same di-
rection, chased the culprit across indie
peRdence square, jumped on his neck as
he was going down the steps into Walnut
street and pinioned him to the ground
until relieved by the breathless, painting
police officer, who had brought up the
rear block behind. All this happened
at noon. AT o'clock that same after
noon the grand jury had returned a true
bill for highway robbery. By II o'clock
on the following morning the fellow had
been tried. convicted and was on his
way to the eastern penitentiary, TCherry
HILL as the Philadelphians call it, to
serve sentence of three years imprison-
ment That's what they call railroading
in the Quaker City.
We won't, however, be able to do things
that way out here this summer simply be-
cause our laws are SO framed as to afford
every possible Ioophole for delay so far as
the criminal is concerned. In fact, am
| told by an eminent authority that there
are only three states-Pennsylvani Ohio
| and Wisconsin-where the laws are SO
framed that even when the necessity
for making public example is the great
est the crime of today can be finally
| dealt with by the law in its majesty to-
morrow. However, we have something
| of a substitute for ssrailroading," and
substitute, moreover, that may prove
| equally unpalatable to the criminal fra
| ternity. Instead Of charging them with
| a specific criminal offense, which would
necessitate binding over to the grand
jury and their admission to bail, it bail
was forthcoming in the meantime, they
can be arraigned before the justice OF
the peace on the general charge OF 'dls-
orderly conduct"
The Justice sits as both court and jury,
and having heard sufficient evidence to
convince him that the individual ar
raigned has actually been guilty of con-
| duct so designated he can, in the exer-
else of his discretion, either fine him d
| sum not exceeding $500 or commit him
| to the Bridewell for a period not exceed
ing one year. This institution may not
be as severe in it's methods and discipline
as the penitentiary, but it is matter OF
record that those who have once been its
guests never banker after a second expe-
rience of its hospitality.
| This, therefore, is the kind of ''short
! shift that the Worlds fair lawbreak
ers may expect as their portion. men;
toned just now that the justice court
/ will be located outside of the inclosure.i
| This is because under the state law a
| court cannot sit within any place rooted
OF unroofed to which an entrance fee is
charged. There will be, however, pri-
waite exit right handy, so that the court
room can be reached without delay Or
the chances Of encountering mob. Ar
rangements will be made with the JUS
tees of the peace having jurisdiction in
Hyde Park by which they will alternate
morning and afternoon at the Worlds
fair court so that one or the other may
be found at his desk from the time the
gates are opened in the morning until
they are finally closed at night.
Still another feature of the police ar
| engagements at the fair and regarding
which nothing has SO far been said is the
marine service. The lake front is intend
ed to be used as anchorage ground for a
large number of vessels, and this fact