The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-12-16
hANG1EOO COURTs.
4 Queer Tribunal That is Common In
SoRtheIH JAils.

ELKHART. IND. Nov. H.-"You never
heard Of a kangaroo court querIed the
man with the heavy Woustache. Then
YOU have never travelled much IN the
South, and you certainly nave never
been in jail in that favored cline. Kan
CARGO courts are indigenous 10 the south
the Texas climate being particularly IA
VOrable TO their Development The I'M
pure air inside prison walls suits them
perfectly, and in ii they thrive ana -FOUR
ish.
A Kangaroo court is a sort o. mock
court organized 10y prisoners IN JANIS IN
the South. They have judge. Il sheriff,
a prosecuting attorney ana other court
officers selected BY ballot from among
their own number. As rule, the court
is recognized by the Jaller AM me sher-
III Of the county, and its yerdlcts ana de-
cisiOns are backed by them. My expert
ence with kangaroo courts seems luHny
to me now, and may seem q" 10 you,
but | assure you there was no run III II
at the time. / will say here that DO not
know where the name Kangaroo OIlSl~
mated but IL is generally accepted IN
the South. and the courts are known
by no. other title. .
"a year Or so ago I was lodged in Jail
in Texas. II makes no difference "hdt
city IL was iu--the same experience
might have been had in Austih' houston
san Antonio, Waco. or Dallas: Neither
does II make any difference why was
at loggerheads with the law. Locked up
/ wa. ana in Jail I stayed for several
months When arrested ! had cohSlIer-
able money with NE. when was IeIt;
together with my knife. wallet, ana
watch. In The care u the j1iler. II was
my first experience Of jail lie. ana was
not looking for the reception mat re-
ceiyed. -.
prisoners by color. The whites and
blacks are not compelled 10 dWeu 10
sether behind prison bars any more man
IA railroad coaches or in circus us. ms
In the particular bastile that va M
ored with my presence the co!ored Droth-
or was housed downstairs WINE the
whites were placed up stairs. beiis
white ! was ushercd into the up-StaiIs
department. At the time was Idlle9
there were over sixty whites III Jdit anu
about the same number OF coloTed lolks
! had not been in jail an hour DeIVIe
was arrested by the Sheriff of the KAN
CARGO court and hailed before the JUS.
! did not know what the proceedings
meant, and when big. buty ielio ',
told me TO come along with him | went
10 find out
Il had not been in the state long, ana
II was my first trip in the lana oi ny
kangaroo court. or | might nave nau
some idea of IL and have known "nat
was in store for me. / was taken uomn
into the end of the corridor. where CouI
was in session. jury was quichiy en-
pannelled, and ! was asked whether
was guilty or not guilty. inquiries
what charge was against me and was told
that | was charged with breaking INTO
Jail. thought there was little chance
10 escape on any plea but that OF sen
defence, but l said | was not guilty. l
had no attorney and the court appoint
ed a man under indictment for murder
to defend me. The Judge himself Is
now doing time for burglary. and the
prosecuting attorney. who grew elo-
cuent in denouncing my high-handed
conduct in breaking into a public build
ing is In the same institution, he having
been convicted of having three wives, a
number not allowed by the statutes OF
the Lone Star State.
II was found guilty after a short trial.