Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1894-04-19
FINED ESQ.

A Former Resident Of Elk Point
Runs Up Against the Angry Omaha
Judge.
Old time residents OF this section
will remember Wash Perciyal, attor-
ney at law, when he resided in Elk
Point. He was highly respected and
possessed a sunny nature, which won
him friends. Mention a week ago was
made in these columns Of his arrest in
Omaha for contempt OF court by Judge
Scott.
Since Perciyal's stay in Oman he has
been a reporter on the Evening Bee.
He appeared before Judge Scott last
Thursday to receive his sentence. The
judge delivered the following remarks
to the prisoner, which explains the
whole difficulty:
you have been charged with writing
and publishing a libelous and scandal
GUS and malicious article of and con-
corning this court in the Evening Bee,
u newspaper published in this city, on
March 8, 1894, to-wit:
"'terHOnS WHO were AROUND tire er1DDtlluI sec.
tiOn III The district court yesterday afternoon
witnessed II striking illustration Of IOw easy Il
Is for u man to keep out Of The penitcmtiary IL
the lal'l Is worked for all 1t Is WORTH
"Why should you not be punished
for that? Your answer is q very shall
low one and your attempt to avoid the
| conclusion Is potential and Intellectual.
Your plea is u sarcasm upon the Eng
lish language; it is u parody Of words
and Is q reflection on ordinary intelli-
gence. II the article in question is
true, then it necessarily follows that
the court in disposing Of the Jardine
case was corrupt. II the article in
question was false, then you wrote a
most vicious, malicious and libelous
article OF the court. You have admit
ted that you wrote the article In ques-
ton and 10Y the burden rests upon
you to show justification. You say
that you meant to say that the judge,
out OF the goodness of his heart, did
what you say, or what you charge in
the article az well as to say that the
court is a bribetaker, q corrupt admin
istrator of criminal law, and excuse
yourself by saying that you meant that
the judge was so good and tender
hearted.
"The court makes your fine in this
case $50, q very small penalty, c0nsid-
ering the published outrage upon the
court and also that the defendant IL a
poor man with q family to support aud
that he was but the hired instrument
in the hands of his master, Edward
ROsewater, and subject to his behests,
which had to be followed o he would
lose his place az reporter for the Bee.
The judgment OF the court Is that YOU
pay q fine Of go and costs and stand
committed until the fine and costs are
paid. Mr.. Sheriff, there Is your war
rant for commitment aud the defend
ant Is in your custody. Execute your
warrant
The Omaha Bee in giving an account
OF the event, has the following:
On adj0urning court and going into
to the sherins Office, Judge Boot saw
PercivM talking to some friends.
~Mr. Sheriff" exclaimed his honor,
what's this man doing here?"
Il suppose he is waiting here until
he pays hts dne,s said Deputy Sheriff
Ro ,enzweig.
Judge SCOTT, in q tone Of rage, ex.
claimed: II won't have this: / won't
have any N0shcr business In this case;
take this man away to jail at once"
I was Intending TO do 20" answered
.Then do 60 at once; carry out my
orders and do your duty, or you viii
get In trouble said the honorable
Judge, as he sat down to zee that hi
orders were faithfully executed.
Mr.. Percfval accompanied the deputy
down stairs 10 the jail and within ave
!! hours Percival was released on . su.
J nnrsAdAna bond Dendin0 m anneal. Sc