The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-11-28
4 PETTY PERSECUTION.
Another Case Of Injustice In
the Federal Courts.
A Lawyer Arrested For a Mere
Statement Of Fact
Made On q Postal Card-PartcuIars
OF Kind, Of Mean and Small Work
Being Done by Certain Over
Jealous Secret Service
Agents

Lawyer J. J. Jones OF clyde is in the
county jail And all tbs reason in the
world for it is that he innocently wrote
q short message on g postal card 20 q
friend in which he told ST a man being
confined in a Jail For this he was ar
rested by the federal authorities and
was dned $50 for violation OF the postal
laws
OF course. after the case got into the
federal court there was no other course
for the judge to follow than to fine the
man. as his action had been technical
violation of the postal laws
Under the laws governing the postal
department the mere mention OF any
thing on a postal card watch might
prove der0gatQry 90 any clrlzan S rapl-
tati0n is a violation In Lawyer Jones
case the violation was the mere state
menr made by him on a postal card
OF the fact that a certain man. their
mutual acquaintance- was in jail The
man really was in jail but the petty
spite or petty LealouSneSs OF govern
ueur detectives who must appear to
earn their salaries makes a reputable
citizen go into prison cell for the bare
sta tament or a piece Of news The pun
ishment IS out Of all proportion To the
ofeuse committed The continual ar
rest and imprisonment Of citizens FOR
trivial Qffenses by the United states
courts has really grown into a Villain
GUS system OF persecution carried on
by secret government agents. who are
The detective who made the discOV-
cry in J. J. Jones case sW0Oped down
upon one Of Clyde's prosperous and
prominent attorneys and dragged him
20 the county jail where he Is now con-
fined
Lawyer Jones takes his imprisonment
philOs0ph icaIIy.
James r Tanner was once put in
jail for murder" said he To q state
Journal reporter as ne stood at the
county jail barred door. land inside Of
q year he was elected sheriff 81 the
county. 7 never viii write another pos
tai card you can rest assured. The
facts are mat I wrote two or three pos
raj cards 20 a friend and happened To
mention that q certain fellow was in
jail And what did they d12 They ar
rested ME for it and here I was fined
$50 for ir in the United States court
m now waiting for the money to come
to let me out You see. don want my
folks 10 know that / am in here. I have
friends here in Topeka but I haven't
made myself known 20 them because
li1n want them ro see me here ran
for th= legislature in Illinois once and
after that was ia the race for state
senator in Nebraska m lawyer I
nave case which VIII be tried soon
Il Is Tor libel Vow don't think that
am the defendant 7 am the attorney
~ the case 4 used 10 be newspaper
man"
Lawyer Jones is r. tall good looking
man Pc perhaps 35 years He wears
neat fitting clothes has a fun beard eur
In Van Dyke style and Is apparently
we'll educated
Another case previously mentioned
which is entirely one Of personal spite
is that Of the Rev @ Wynna Rich
m1nd- who is held ia the county Jail
awaiting a preliminary hearing in the
United States court on The charge OF
sending improper letters through the
United states mail This patient Wen
hammered man. VINO Is a clergyman.
has been kept in the Shawnee county
Ha
ing hearing We sometimes say
said he to a reporter. that they can't
hold prisoner over 4S hours without
q preliminary hearing. but the facts in
the case are that they do. When the
marshal brought me through Kansas
City 4 WASH ( given a chance to see my
wife But the marshal was kind to me
otherwise.
A year ago Thanksgiving day the
Rev g. Wyune Richmond was married
He was young evangelist Of the Con
small and he soon found that il was
very difficult for him 10 earn enough
% support himself and wife He went
to Louisville. Kansas to do evangelical
city staying at the home of her reIa-
tive. a lawyer named Cfoldsby. That
was in December of 1885 In February
Of 1895 there was Euisundarsta ndIng
have not seen each other though the
Rev. Mr.. Richmond has more than
once sought an interview ana a recon-
Citation. Mrs Richmond showed some
Of the letters which her husband had
written her To her relative Lawyer
Goldsby. The lawyer Immediately saw
something improper in The letters 1e-
tween husband and wife and he n0ti-
ned POsLqfflee Inspector Sutton and the
arrest OF the minister was made and he
was thrown into jail here To a report
ar the Rev Mr. Richmond said we
were married last Thanksgiving day
we soon found that our support was
not large enough u1 keep us both and
VIE mutually agreed to each go our own
ways to earn a livelihood. but were
stil one in mind Last February there
was g uisuuderst landing Probably my
vie would blame me robably to a
certain extent she had cause to do SO
But 4 have been true r1 her and If
get QUE of this trouble all right and she
wishes to. Ta may live together again.
she IS my wife lit was after the mis-
understanding that she felt somewhat
bitter toward me and showed those
letters 60 Nj Goldsby- I understand
from AIr Czaldsby- since that my WIFE
Is not now feeling hard toward me- thar
she has rAlenEeG- i have written ta her
and rather expect an answer 7 have q
legal friend in the city now and am in
hopes THAI something may be done.
think 7 can have a preliminary hearing
almost any time now You know an ac-
quittal or a failure at acquitral means
q great deal To me- I arm 30 years old
and ID means whether ] Rave a future or
not"
Gold Product of Alaska