The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-05


of a mans keeping sober, OF his taking
care of his family, OF his procuring work,
and so on; but the court missionary goes
a step further than this and advises tho
court, always in the most diplomatic
manner, as to what disposition should be
made of a prisoner-not always, of course,
but in some cases. In one case that / saw
the judge was evidently inclined 10 be
very lenient with prisoner, but hardly
saw how he could satisfy the demands Of
justice and stil lei the man go; and the
court missionary stepped in with a sug-
gestiOn that made the matter easy.
There were no important cases I'm my
morning at the Bow street court, but such
small ones as offered served better per-
haps, to show the ordinary mode of pro-
cedure A young woman, for instance,
was put into the dock on some vague and
tri1ing CHARGE could not make out pre-
cisey what it was. NO witnesses were
called, but the assistant jailer told what
he knew about her, giving her, l thought,
as good a character as he could. Then the
judge asked her few questions, and she
said that she worked for milliner, and
handed up the milliner's card whereupon
the judge and some others smiled, indicat-
ing that her interests were In other lines
than the millinery trade.
'Will you keep Off the streets in future
If let you go?' the judge asked.
mo, sir" said the girl; and that, OF
course, raised laugh, without bringing
on the blood-curdling New York court cry
of Silence In COURT"
But it was merely a misunderstanding
The jailer explained the question, and the
girl readily promised.
discharged" said the judge, and in a
minute she was shedding tears OF Joy over
two or three women who had been wait
ing for her and a priest who had been try
ing to reform her.
Then came two street arabs both under
IS, according to their statement, a state
ment that would be remarkable in New
York, where every arrested boy makes
himself out past 49, to avoid the house of
refuge. One had been stealing 10 pence
or so from his employer, and the other
was a vagrant.
. These two boys are chums," said the
jailer, land both are bad. They have been
in several institutions and are too lazy to
work. They steal and run away whenever
they have chance"
That was the only part Of the PERFORM
ance that seemed TO me unjust. The taller
no doubt Is a sworn officer of the court,
but it looks unfair to allow him to give
testimony against a prisoner that is not
evidence.
The court missionary suggested that the
boys be put on one of the training ships
and the boys, you will please to noace,
had neither pleaded guilty nor been tried
and convicted; the only evidence taken
against them was the jailer's.
DO you want to go on a training ship ?"
the judge asked.
Yes sir" said boy No. /.
mo, sir" said boy No. e. who perhaps
knew something of the little pleasantries
of sea life.
At the missionary's suggestion they were
remanded for week, or till suitable
places could be found for them.
Then in came the inevitable hang-dog
fellow who had got drunk aud neglected
his family, with the difference this time
that the man had turned upon the police.
man and beaten him so severely that the
officer was laid off" for four days in con-
sequence-the familiar old story of an i'll
fed, oyerdrunk, weakly chap of a hundred
and thirty pounds administering a severe
beating TO a six-foot 2l0-pound policeman
armed with a club. The judge made Hight
of the charge of assault but looked more
seriously upon the mans habits of drunk.
enness.
The prisoner had the best advocate i'm the
shape of goodlooking young wife, with
two or three children, much too decent
looking a woman to be married to such q
man, who took the stand In his behalf ane
told what a good husband he was wher
he was sober, and shed tears and wruns
her hands, and, in short, reached Sit
Johns heart. He was a good husband
and good shoemaker and he could &c
work whenever he wanted IL with hi
! brother-in-law-he was a perfect model o
a husband, in fact, that dirty-lookng fel
low, with the face OF a sneak thief. Blu
the jailer, saying his say at the wron,
moment, said that the prisoner had quar-