The Newtown bee., 1895-01-04
WHY HE WENT TO JAIL.

In the fall of 1873 Reuben H. Smith, who had been connected with the me- chanical department of The Waterbury American, became editor, the local de- partment being in the hands of Frank E. Beach. MT Smith enjoyed the unique distinction, to which none of his prede- cessors attained and none of his suc- cessors aspire, of spending Sunday in jail at co ommand of judge whose judi cial character had been discussed in the paper with injurious bluntness. The offending article appeared March g, 1876, and the part objected to by Judge Henry I. Boughton of the city court, read as follows:
 We do not need a comparison of the partly leaders st Washington, so much as we do a comparison and thorough in- vestigation of the men whom the differ ent parties gives us as officials at home. In this city we have only Democratic officials to inspect, but we should point the finger of investigation straight at our police and city courts. What think you, voters of Waterbury, of the party that gives us as judge in chose s'halls of justice"(D a man who has forfeited public respect, and against whom there are charges affecting his integrity? He has fine figure, to be sure, military bearing to impress the simple: and
 where is there 8 mightier Nimrod or Walton than he whom the public treas ury supports in the pleasure and pur- suits of the chase? Why is 1t that a certain law firm rarely fails to win case before hin? And why are those who hope to secure offices in his gift 80 anxious for his continuance in office :? We need man of ability in that posi- l tion, one whose integrity is above re- proacb, and in whose honor we have confidence. Are we to supinely con- Jinue the victim of ring, whose assum l ptions and misuse of power are scan dal to our city? Perhaps we are!
 But this office is filled by the Legisla- | ture, and what are the people to do | about it? In the last Legislature the office of city judge was uniformly given to the man whom the Democratic repre-
 sentative from that town supported. | The first thing then is to elect represen-
 tatives who are in favor of reform at the City hall. It is to be presumed that we shall again send Democratic represen- tatives to the Legislature, but it is all important that public sentiment shall be created between now and the
 meeting of the Legislature, which shall | plainly declare for new city judge and city attorney. Let us have a change,
 for it is hardly possible that we can be
 worse off than we are now.
 Judge Boughton had the editor before
 his court on March 25 and passed this
 sentence upon him:
 | You, Reuben H. Smith, are before this court upon an attachment for con- tempt, in consequence of an article pub the editor and confessed author thereof
 In the judgment delivered by this court
 we have said all we desire to say in re- gard to the character of the publication. and the injury such publications tend to cause to the administration of justice
 In that judgement it is held that you
 have made no answer or excuse which
 can justify such publication. It now
 remains to impose upon you a penalty
 for the offence. We have no desire tl
 infiict severe penalty. Our object is
 to impress upon you tbat you will not bt permitted to influence decisions of cases
 in courts by again committing similar
 offenses. You are adjudged to pay $7: and to pay the costs of this proceeding
 and to stand committed to the county
 jail of New Haven county until judg ment is complied with,
 Mir Smith preferred the martyrdom 0 imprisonment to the liberty purchased by an unjust fine, and he went to Jail
 but as stated in his own review of thos
 times, which follows, other consider
 ations conspired to prevent the expiatiol
 of his offence in that way. He cam ] home like good husband and as a goo 9 editor he continued to serve Waterbur, psople until May, 1878, when he accer ? ted place on the Springfield Republ ' csn, was later editor and proprietor .
 THE NEwToWN BEE, and Is now res
 dent of Riverside. Cal. It was in tn
 middle of his term as editor that tn | death occurred of the venerable founde !. of the American, which has been antis