People's voice., 1897-07-15
Police Court Injustice,
Daily Journal, Tuesday,

Daily Journal, Tuesday,
1t seems TO be an established rule
In the Wellington police court that
prisoners brought before that bar Of
justice are to receive punishment 10
proportion to the depth of their pOck.
etbOOks. Apparently nothing else
enters into the mind Of the court
when weighing the severity of
charges against prisoners for viola
tiOns and infractiOns of the city's
laws.
This fact was very fOrCibly illus.
trated last night when Edward B.
Hodge and John Smith were brought
before Police Judge Burnette on the
charge Of drunkenness and disorderly
conduct, using foul and indecent Ian.
guage and engaging in riOtous behav.
iOr. These two farmers came to the
city yesterday afternoon and commit
ted the crime of patrOnizing the
licensed city joints. They became
intoxicated and started home about
dusk, going out Of the city in a north
easterly direction. The men were
chums and attracted the attention OF
First ward residents by stopping
every once in awhile to swear allie.
glance to one another. Somebody
came down town and told the author
tiles that couple Of drunken farm
ers were creating disturbances on
North A street. City Marshal Grin.
stead and Night Marshal Millard
started in pursuit at once and found
the men on North A street, in the
vicinity of Frank HendersOn's resi-
dence. They were still arguing their
fidelity to one another but in no wise
were engaging in riotOus conduct,
using foul and obscene language, etc.
In fact they were behaving very
quietly for drunken persons. Not
withstanding the fact that they were
nearly outside the city limits and on
their way home, they were dragged
back to town and taken before the
police judge. Warrants were made
out by the police judge charging them
with almost every crime within the
jurisdiction of the court and the
charges were sworn to by the city
marshal.
The warrants were then read to the
prisoners, who denied emphatically
everything contained in them except
the charge Of drunkenness, which
they denied 10 part. The men admit
ted drinking several bottles Of beer
each, but claimed TO be reasonably
sober. The Journal reporter was
present in the court room and failed
to even suspicion that the men had
been drinking until the warrant was
read. The men acte1 very sOberly,
but were sbaky on their feet. They
told the police judge that possibly
they had drank too much beer, but
that they were on their way out OF
town when arrested and claimed to
be disturbing nobody. They asked to
be allowed TO 60 home, and promised
TO behave hereafter when compelled
t. come to Wellington. The judge
questioned them closely concerning
their occupation, etc. 1t developed
that they were with the Hooker
threshing outfit north of town. This
seemed to satisfy the judge that they
had money, and he set their trial for 8
O'Clock this morning. They lay in
Jail over night and today plead guilty
to drunkenness and were fDed s. and
costs each, amounting to Sl3 apiece.
They claimed to have no money and a
courier was sent out to Hooker this
morning informing him Of the plight
of two Of his men. The prisoners were
taken to Jail to await the payment
OF the fine and costs.
The Journal does not wish to ques-
tton the integrity of the police court,
but TO call attention TO the pernicious
practice of the police judge OF turning
one class Of prisoners loose while an
other class is bled for all they are
worth. The marshal has repeatedly
arrested tramps for drunkenness,
fighting, etc, and upon taking them
before the police judge that dlgnitary
would ask them if they had any
money. Upon relieving reply in the
negative the tramps would be 1ered
out Of town and that would end the
matter The discrimination shown
In making a practice of extending
lienency to tramps because they have
no money to pay the costs of their
prosecution, while vigorous prose-
cutiOn is made against every offend
ing farmer, tends to only widen the
breach between the city and country
people. These men were drunk, true
enough, but they were on their way
out Of town when arrested, and 10
our mind Justice would not have
felt outraged at the action Of the
pOlice last night il those two farmers