The San Francisco call., 1899-09-19
JUSTICE RODDEN'S METHODS.

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ii detected and exposed in the double offense OF
- determining in advance OF any hearing or trial
to pronounce judgment against Frank l. Perkins, a
defendant in his court and OF deacng the records OF
the court for the purpose OF destroying the proof OF
his malcasance The motive for the judgment OF
prejudice decided upon before word OF evidence was
submitted appears from the statements OF the Justice
himself to have been OF personal spite against the
accused and the DETACHMENT OF the record was tu-
tile and cowardy attempt to escape the consequences
OF his action.
The evil OF the wrong done by the Justice is aggra
waited by the circumstances under which 1t was COM
mitted The charge upon which he made up his
mind in advance was not made against Perkins alone
1t is charge OF criminal libel sworn out by one NJ.
F Cochrane against John D. Spreckes as proprietor
OF The Call and Frank l. Perkins, the San Rafael
correspondent OF the paper Against Mr. Spreckels
the Justice had no feeling OF spite and it appears he
was to have been given at least hearing before
demnation but against the other defendant the de
cision was made at once.
The language in which the Justice recorded his
prejudice is worth noting. Upon the back OF the
complaint he wrote: 1T appearing to me that the
ofense in the within deposition mentioned has been
committed and that there is sufficient cause to be
leve the within named Frank L. Perkins guilty
thereof order that he be held to answer to the same
and committed to -
Thus by the records OF his court and in his own
handwriting did it appear that even before the trial
before the submission OF evidence, Justice Rod
den had made up his mind to decide Perkins guilty
and hold him for trial An ofense of that nature is
about as gross as petty mind can devise and cow
ardy creature perpetrate 1t IS significant at once
his meanness his malice, his revengeful instincts and
his cowardce 1t that he is only unfit for
the office he holds but not worthy OF social recog
milton in any decent community
1t is possible OF course, that Mr.. Perkins has been
the only victim OF the spite OF this malicious fool in
office Nevertheless it must be borne in mind that
other persons against whom Rodden has a prejudice
may have been haled before his court and compelled
to submit to such judgment as his malice prompted
without regard to evidence. malicious mind finds
cause for enmty on every side and not few of the
residents within his district who have excited his spite
may have been made to suffer as much OF wrong as
he has had the courage to infict
The case is one that calls for little comment The
facts of themselves are sufficient to arouse public in
dgnation In the Justice Courts tried the causes
and the suits OF the common people The great mass
of small law cases and criminal charges OF all kinds
are heard before such magistrates. A considerable
number OF persons who are summoned before Jus-
tice Courts are neither rich influential and are
therefore dependent for Justice upon the integrity n
the court itself 1t is therefore imperative that the
magistrates OF such courts be honest men, and the
fact that such spiteul fool Rodden presides as
Justice of the Peace in Marin County constitutes :
menace to the property and the liberty Of every c
zen in his district.