The Portland daily press., 1896-05-05
BEFORE JUDGE ROBINSON.
The Story of a Busy Morning.

Snap Shots at the Proceedings-A Man
Ruined by "Policy'' given One More
Chance.
Day after day, week after week pretty
much the same people gather in the
municipal court. A confirmed habit Of
attending the sessions of that court seems
to lengthen life, an interesting fact life
insurance people should make note Of
fhe same crowd of spectators, the same
officers, much the same charges, COM
monty the same faces in the dock, occas-
ionally with break of thirty days or SO
in attendance, tells the story of the court
year after y3ar.
And yet some people seem to find COM
fort in attending every session or the
court To them the old story is always
new, and every drunk is an orleiHai
drunk, something fresh and unique In
human experience.
A bow sat at theshead of.the long line OF
respondents yesterday morning. His
fresh young face was pi5eous to see. 1t
had no place there. His head was bowed
down, and be said guilty" with diff
Guilty,
stThe first time for twenty years that
I've been before court" said Boston
man. a fisherman land I'd be thankful if
your honor would help me out of this.
I'll go back to Boston and not come
back.
He thought he wasn't very drunk, but
Officer Cousens differed with him on that
point.
Officer Smith and respondent were of
one mind on the point Of the condition
of the respondent when arrested
Another respondent who looked as if
months, thought he might have been
'smore or less intoxicated, and the evil
dsnoe went strongly to prove that 1t was
more rather than less.
A fairly good looking man thought he
was talking with his employer when ar
rested, but the patrolman who sent him
in was convinced that the party was
"bum" who sis well known to this
COURT
A man from Bridgeport, Conn.,, was
before the court. He failed to follow the
example of his late fellow townsman,
Hon. P. T. Barn1m, in the matter Of
avoiding the /. use of liquor, and when
asked at the Union station "Where are
you going?" requested tn, patrolman
who addressed him to depart into ever
lasting torment, or words to that effect.
His request fell upon irresponsible ears,
but the patrolman took him in. 81
thought I'd go to Boston your honor" he
said "but 1 couldn't make up my mind
in minute what to do.''
Then Marshal Triokey gave the boy at
the head of the dock hard reputation.
He said that when he broke into Bux-
tons store he did it very deliberately and
I'll en- took the cigars he got to South
Portland.
A respondent who seemed rather the
most depressed man of the lot thought
he couldn't possibly be common drunk
ard. and the evidence rather seemed tc
sustain his view of the case, as it went
to show that in reality he is an unoom
mon drunkard. He was convicted al
the same.
When a young man was sent up fol
ninety days he said. 81 appeal" anc
Judge Robinson quietly observed, "Bai
fixed at $780,
John W. Wilkinson, was, convicted of
knocking some money out of the hand Of
a man. Deputy Hartnett, in the nam,
of Marshall Trickey asked Judge Robin
son to take jurisdiction, and he gave hin
80 days.
GA ruined life'' told the whole stor,
when a man stood before Judge Robin
son and plead for mercy. He once stool
we'll here, was candidate for LhigI
municipal offices, held his own will
other men, but he stood there accused o
vag-ancy. He never was a drunkard
the marshal said so, and the court i'm
presively talked to him of the possibilitie
he had missed. '"Policy' told tn,
story also, in his case as in that of many
another man in this city. His time ha
been devoted to policy shops, and to thu
"wrlters'' and his money has gone fol
gigs. He did not try to defend him
self, but admitted all that was said aDou
him. Hundreds of Portland men are a,
bitterly infatuated with 'policy,'' bu
few have given all their time and al
their money to the game. Judge Robin
son gave him ninety days and then sus
pended the sentence on condition that b,
should draw out of losing game al
together.
w. b. MI. S. to Meet at Gorham