The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-07-22
STERN JUSTICE METED OCT,
4 Police Justices Sentence Of Himself -
Severe Punishment for His Dereliction.

severe iuhisnWent Tor IT'S DefelCuOn.
Out on the coast, in n town which lad a
the boom possibilities of becoming a metrops
Oils OF relaI,sing into a goose pasture, tbs Gty
police court was once employed As an agency
for the reform OF a drunkard. This does not
apply to the objective method 81 so many dols
lars or 80 many days. for 1t is more or less Q
debatabls question what Is the extent Of reform
produced on the poor wretches In the dooh
when they meet with fine and impris onment OF
both, at the discretion Of the Court. in thtd
case il was sought TO reform q jag ractitionee
by putting him not Ia the dock but on the bench,
This was in the case Of a very bright youn6
lawyer. intelligent. intellectual In maiy wayus
an excellent companion. but despite an
these good qualities throwing himself aW ny On
drink. Some Of his friends In politics exsctsd
a promise OF reform il they could secure bio
election as Police Judge. That became known
through the town, and when election came he
not only ran ahead of his ticket but he came
very near to polling the whole vote OF the dtyS
1t became the proper thing to vote the drunkard
into Office; TO the ordinary voter II seemed
that he must be acquiring some Of the beat<
tudes Of the W. {, I. U. by using bis vote -
snatch this brand from the burning.
This popular Judge played fair and sauaso
with his friends, He did not attempt any so-
called cure. he Just stopped drinking and hs
stayed stopped. Nobody claimed that 1t was
an easy thing for him TO do, but he did Il all
right. At first he used to sneak away and
have his fight out by himself, But an he gained
control over his appetite and came ont Of theeN
bouts with a shorter term OF the shakes 10
soon found encouragement In being with eoplo
when ne felt that he had a good thirst on. Never
for a moment did he drop his old crowd: he
trained with them just as regularly a. before;
- l-.--l hon .ttl tI..A in a.. lAA $500
Of the same saloons; the only difference ives
that when there WAS q round Of drinks he took
a cigar or a Napa soda.
For the better part Of a year the Judge lived
M to his agreement; the city never had a bet
ter Police Judge; his decisions were satisfac-
tory and his law was sound. The success OF
this experiment in eformation became famouQ
all up and down the coast and BECAME one Of
the sources OF municipal pride. Then al OF
a sudden the Judge fell from grace. For three
city, but word came. over from a nelghboring
town that he was there on a bowling spree.
was w"e filed With bluebotties lying and the isV sFoSnd
was covered with animated oorkscrews, he
decided It vas time to return home and sx:
got OF the cars the police went around on tip
toe 80 as to avoid having TO see him. All they
wanted was TO have him slide in pnnoticed,
rs it were, and get home and into bed. But
that did not suit the Judges, way Of thinking,
lie was e1aeed in 70 sneak. He bad a jag and
tions where everybody. knew. him. Before
long he was making such a nuisance Of him:
self that the police could 20 81 not Overlook II and
.Rs Charge e p pss""fbe and B. against %'R Els !" name @a% p On
s .1s s' stssea hG 1Ss n sISt'e and Ih put sf II pins. hat hat
habitual criminal. John Doe. After the city
physician had paid 2 visit 70 the Masistrate
drug g treatment. the Jqdss was bsiled S6y' tSs
deposit Of 90 Of the cash which had been taken
from. him when searched Then the ,d1
night OF medicine. baths and sleep knocked
ont the demon rum In the Judge. II o was
shaky all over; his throat was like . fur capei
keep his eyes from crossing. But he was sober,
and with sobrety came repentance. He would
g, TO court and take his place. and he would
lie surprised the police and the prisoners By
the mildness of hLs sentences; and HaIticulsriy
pended, for the Judge was heard 70 say -poos
f de- dscs sssy v hsy al f SSt e el sS2dd rt tSsss wa. n a Int
Gi /; i ! on 81 sIz.doliar ball, TSs;.s were he
T Is1 any yH reply TS" to the he i SUMMONS, The BALM f1 vent
10 tho outer door and called according 70 the
centuries old custom Of the courts John Dee,
John Doe, John Doe, CONS. into court oomS
into court, come into court"
There. Is no answer. your Honor. reported
the hsiltf. go,
BaIlif. II You were to Eco this John Doe. would
you know hin2"
no, your Honor, ] should not was tha
sturdy reply Of the officer.
And you, Mr.. Clerk"
$40, Your Honor, not l.. There being no ap-
pearance the ball should be forfeited and tie
case closed"
-Gentlemen.- continued the young Judge. Z
appreciate the spirit which has governed your
replies. but you should remember that You are
sworn officers OF justice and that Ia a higher
claim upon you than tho mere desire 10 hide the
faults Of a friend, But before forfeiting this
bail or taking any other steps In this case I wish
TO say that tho John Doe OF this case has come
into court and Il now prepared for sentence,
having pleaded guilty. for ] am he. II Is a hard
position for me 70 be placed in. As a misde-
meanant my position Is there In that dock. Ny
duty TO tho community must be discharged from
this bench. In my private capacity ] muse
bear my shame and its disgrace alone; IN my
judicial capacity I can have but one thought,
and that Is TO preserve the dignity OF the court.
The sentence. therefore. Of this court IA that IL
place Of the name John Doe, the clerk shall
write the name ~ the offender. and that the
defendant blending guilty as charged and en-:
terinR no PRAYER for clemency shall be fined
800 or in default Of payment be imprisoned n
IL ILL., .-4aaa - IA IADa