Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-04-03
At THE WORLDS FAIR.
Between laed and Lake neisctives the Crooks
Will Fare Hard.

1
rs'e na''
CHICAGO, H., apfh 2.-Ahe hght I'M
| 81. ,...a,
$50 So - -, :.
VI sAst'ieeii's o''i e''i'eS = o yo1A Ae..-
pocket, or your uiisihoho stuo VI pil
from your shirt bosom. or perchance INT
solitaire drops from your lady's ears
| these will be afforded little opportunity
| of taking advantage of what is known in
non,,lar nhraseolory Ms the .law's de
-, -, ~. ~ - aro,oA
~ +,
10 oe oa"N. ~ 'n0 '0' w." s"ssN
IN their neiarions vocation on VT
World fair grounds. In previous iet'
ter ! told about a little structure tina,
was in course of erection at one end OF
tile immense Enclosure. and which was
| intended for morgue, where deputy
coroner would be constantly on duty tt
| 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 justice court. and in it magistrate
viii be constantly on duty to the end
that justice may be done to crook and
| victim alike
II is perhaps 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 exelnplified 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 a
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 second that his time
piece had vanished. AT the same mo-
ment he was conscious of the fact that a
eenteel looking young fellow who had
followed him in single file up to tue
stand was now WEIGHING his way through
the crowd like worm.
The foreigner. who was agile and fleet
| footed, wiggled his way in the same di-
| rection. chased the culprit across indie
pendence 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 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, CHERRY
HILL" as the Philadelphians call it, to
serve a sentence of three years imprison-
ment. That's what they call railroading
in the Quaker City.
Wewon't. however. be able to do things
that way ont here this summer simply be-
cause our laws are SO framed as to afford
every possible loophole for delay SO far as
the criminal is concerned. In fact. am
told by an eminent authority that there
are only three atas-Pennsylvania Ohio
and Wisconsin-wiiere the laws are SO
framed that even when the necessity
for making a 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
d u substitute for "railroading," and a
substitute, moreover. that may prove
equally ;lnpalatable to the criminal fra
Jernity. Instead Of charging them with
. specific criminal offense, which would
neceesitate a binding over to the grand
jury and their admission to bail, if bail
was forthcoming in the meantime, they
can be arraigned before the Justice OF
the peace on the general charge of dis
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 a
sum not exceeding $500 or commit him
to the Bridcwell for period not exceed
ing one year. This institution may not
be as severei in its methods and discipline
as the penitontiary, but it is matter of
record that those who have once been its
guests never banker after a second expe-
rienee of its hospitality.
This, therefore, is the kind Of "short
shift that the Worlds fair lawbreak-
ers may expect rs their portion. men
toned just now that the justice court
will be located outside Of the Enclosure.
This is because under the state law a
court cannot sit within any place rooted
or unroofed to which an entrance fee is
charged. There viii be. however, pri.
waite exit right handy. so that the court
room can be reached without delay OF
the chances Of encountering a mob. Ar
engagements will be made with the JUS
Hyde Park by which they viii alternate
IA a