The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-11
NEEDED AN ARK.
Judge Conlan Was Again
Flooded Out.
Ponds on the Desks and Little Lakes
on the Fl0or-Vernon' RUB
Der Casing.

The rains fell and the winds blew and
beat upon the old City Hall yesterday morn
ing, and through the thousand and one
cracks and holes in the roof Of the court
room of Police Court the water trekled
down in drops and streams until II formed
small ponds on the desks aud chairs, aud
spread in miniature lakes all over the floor
Judge COnlan used unprofessional language
when he entered the courtroom at The hour
for the morning session, and Clerk Mar
tins comments as he tiShed out his soaked
docket from the drawer OF his desk were
couehed In beautiful language, soft and
sweet"
But the court stenographer, Frank Yer
non, chuckled and laughed and cared not
how much rain dropped all over him and his
desk for StenOgrapher Vernon had antici-
pated the storm and knowing the condition
Of the courtroom ceiling came into court ar
rayed in rubber boots, rubber leggins.
long rubber coat and a rubber hat lie even
had his pencil encased IA gutta percha
holder and was prepared to take testimony
until he had to swim out.
Judge Conlan looked about the room for
a minute or two and said, well, there are
one or two eases have just got to hear this
morning, but m"-and then his voice fell
away TO a whisper. and the drip, drop, drip
Of the leaking roof drowned the soto Yoce
remarks
open court" his Honor growled, and
the bailIff waded over to the door and
hoarsely cried, ''Oh. yezi oh, yez." etc, and
the daily grind OF misdemeaunrS COM
menced. The first case was one OF common
drunk, and as the culprit stood in the dock
and entered his plea OF not guilty he looked
as il he was more afraid Of the water ali
around and about him than Of the sentence
he expected
All this while Vernon, safely ensconsed
in fc III ri nj "a
fully away, and every second or two a big
drop Of water would drip from the ceiling
and fall with TeS0uBdiDg smack on the
back Of his gun" coat, while a steady
stream poured down upon the rubber hat
which the court allowed him 10 wear 10
protect his note book.
Prisoner. stand up" said Judge Conlan
in his "six months in the House Of Correc-
ton" voice The old bum lodged the drops
and shivered as he slowly rose 10 his feet.
81 think that I'll send you" and just at
the instant great big raludrop landed with
bang Oh Judge Conan's shirt front, and
spread itself In splashes all over the eXpanse
Of sn0w-white linen shown in the opening
Of his vest.
The court didn't express his feelings out
loud, but looked as if he were thinking
hard. Send that man downstairs" he
shouted. ''and Mr. Baif. declare this
court adjourned until the rain stops or the
roof Of this building is fixed" Without
another word the court grabbed his um-
brela and went home to put on clean
shirt.
Vernon stood up in his rubber clothes
and said Il am sorry for the Judge He
should wear a rubber coat down here"
Then he splashed his way out leaving poor
Clerk Martin above with the flood.
Police Court room is not only unfit for
human habitation when IL rains, but the
several hundred dollars recently wasted in
trying TO fix ii up so as to allow people 10
move around in the room on rainy days
without having TO wade seems to have been
used to make matters worse instead Of bet
ter. Vernon is the only soul about the
building who feels safe in working in the
room, and he is so protected by waterproof
garments that he could walk the decks of
the Monterey when she is going under
forced draught and yet keep dry.