The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1897-08-19
IF ARRESTED WHAT TO EXPECT
The Lingo To Which One Must Plead
Guilty or Not Guilty

Guilty or Not Guilty
State of Wisconsin, Kenosha County,
ss.-In Justice Court. John Doe, of
said county, being first duly sworn and
examined on oath by and before John
Smith, a justice Of the peace in and for
said county, makes complaint and says
that Richard Roe did, on the 7th day of
August, a. d. 1897, at the city of Ke-
nosha, III said county, unlawfully, will
fully. maliciously and feloniously with
a certain dangerous weapon, to-Wit,
certain pistol and revolver loaded with
powder and leaden bullet, make an
assault in and upon said complainant,
John Doe. and did then and there in
tentionally aim and point said pistol
and revolver at and toward said John
Doe without legal justification or ex-
cuse, and not in self defense nor in the
lawful discharge of official duty, and
did then and there unlawfully and
feloniously discharge said pistol and
revolver at and toward said John Doe
with intent the said John Doe then and
there to kill and murder; and did then
and there with said pistol and revolver
unlaWfully and willfully and maliciously
strike, beat, bruise and wound and ILL
treat the said John Doe in and upon
the head, neck, back, breast, arms,
legs and sides, and other parts of the
body of the said John Doe, and did
then and there violently cast the said
John Doe down upon certain stone
floor, and did then and there griev-
ously strike, kick, beat and bruise, -
giving to the said John Doe then and
there as we'll by such striking, beating,
bruising, wounding and iIl-treating of
him, the said John Doe, upon the
arms, breast, head, neck and sides and
other parts of the body of said John
Doe, as also by said beating, kicking,
striking and bruising as aforesaid, and
by such casting down upon said stone
floor, grievous wounds, injuries, hurts
and bruises contrary to the form of the
statute in such case made and provided
and against the peace and dignity of
the state of Wisconsin; and prays that
the said Richard Roe may be arrested
and dealt with according to law.
(Signed) JOHN Doe.
Subscribed and sworn to before me
this 7th day of August, A. d. 1897
JOHN SMITH,
Justice of the Peace.
The above is the lingo which a JUS
tice of the peace reels off to the " un-
tutored savage" at the rate of 800
words q minute and then asks him
solemnly the momentOus question,
Guilty or not guilty." Strange as it
may seem the Intercepted hesitates
until the proficient judge jumps upon
him literally terrifying him into plead
ing guilty, which he probably is. After
he has plead guilty, however, he has
no idea of what he has confessed. Even
then the officers and the most educated
and learned would have an exceedingly
difficult time in compromising the
full purport of that awe inspiring para
graph which all the clearness, concise
ness and technicality of the law have
been employed to make perfectly un-
fathomabie. 1t might be suggested as
an amendment and Improvement to the
present immigration laws that all i'm
migrants be required to read copy of
the above warrant This would I'M
doubtedly serve as proper restriction
and would be exceedingly practical
since the only undesirable portion Of
our immigration is that which has the
most use for such a manuscript.