The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-02
STRANGE CASE OF Golfer.
Police Wonder at Its Many COnsecu-
tive COntinuances.

Police Wonder at Its Many COnsecu-
tive COntinuances.
Elusive James Golfer who has oc-
cupied the attention Of the police and
the judges of the municipal court for
the last six weeks on account of mis-
connection with the theft of harnesses
in the vicinity of his home on Mar
shall avenue, is still triumphant over
both branches of the city government
and enjoying his liberty without bonds,
though he has pleaded guilty to the
charge of larceny against him, and
the date for passing sentence passed.
Mr. Golfers pull appears not to
rest with the police, for the members
of the department who have worked ON
hte case are indignant at the seeming
impOssibiIity of having him punished
and are commenting upon the useless
ness of arresting offenders in the face
of an apparent impossibility of having
them punished in the municipal court,
even when they admit their guilt
When Golfer was first arrested, there
was some objection raised on account
of his being taken from the bedside
of sick wife. The man was subse-
quently released on his own recogni-
zance, contrary to the wishes Of the po
lice, and after several unexplained
continuances he failed to appear
in court on the date set for his trial.
In the meantime another warrant had
been issued for Golfers arrest on the
charge Of stealing a ham from Rice
street butchers wagon, and, when an
officer of the Rondo street station went
to his house to place him under ar
rest, the man not only resisted his au-
thority, but, with the assistance Of
Mrs. Golfer, succeeded in making his
escape. Mrs. Golfer was arrested i'll
connection with this affair on the
charge of interfering with an officer,
and, despite the fact that the police
man testified to her interference ana
throwing a bucket of swin over him,
the woman was released upon signing
a bond to keep the peace.
Finally, to get Golfer into court.
after he had defaulted in appearance, a
bench warrant was ordered issued for
him, and the following day he ap-
peared for trial on the charge of steal
ing a harness from Mrs. Rossell, on
Dayton avenue. Golfer pleaded guilty to
the charge Of larceny, but sentence was
postponed until last Monday. Golfers
rather remarkable good fortune, how
ever, which had already carried him SO
far through a series of Vicissitudes with
the police, again stood him in good
stead, when Judge Orr continued the
case to July II and allowed Golfer his
liberty upon his own recOgniZance, not
withstanding that he had defaulted
once before when enjoying this privi-
lege of the court.
In making the above disposition of
the case, Judge Orr stated what a
great many persons believe to be a
fact, that there was conSidera bic Of a
peculiar nature in the case. In some
quarters, the court stated, Golfer was
said to be a bad man, and in others
his alleged offenses were said to be
due to his extreme poverty. The fact
that Golfer at present is said to have
a position on a. farm near the city, and
that the court desired to further in
quire for himself into the case before
passing sentence, was stated as the
reason for again delaying the mans
punishment.