Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-06-26
A UNIQUE SENTENCE.
The NOVEL PENALTY A JUDGE I'M
POSED UPON TWO MEN.

Jail Until One of Them, u College
Graduate, Taught the Other How to
Rend and Write,
Along in the seventies the late Judge
Arnold Krekel was holding court at
Jefferson City, relates an old timer,
when there appeared before him two
men charged and indicted for viola
tion Of the United States laws, one of
whom will be called Brown. He was
charged with cutting timber on the
public domain. Brown was about 40
years old and had been reared on the
border in Arkansas and never had any
opportunities for schooling, hence was
unable to read or write. In his en-
deavors to get living he had cut tim
Der suitable for making AK handles on
United States lands, which led to his
arrest and Imprisonment. The other
man will be called Jones, for the real
name Of both men are not known In
the memory of any one who witnessed
the incident.
Jones was charged with and indicted
for having sold liquor to the Indians.
-: Jones was a native of New York,
Agraduate of Union college and was
educated for lawyer. He possessed
highly cultured mind, a good Latin
ist and thoroughly scholarly in all
sorts Of books. Not succeeding in his
profession in his native state, more
from lack of application than other
wise, he left that country and plunged
into. the great west and located no.
body knew where. but he drifted into
the lower strata of society, and to OBJ
tain the necessaries of life he resorted
to "bootlegging" among the red men
OF the Indian Territory border. His
arrest and imprisonment followed.
The two men were arraigned before
Judge Krekel and the indictments
read. They both pleaded guilty and
threw themselves upon the mercy Of
the court. The court questioned both
prisoners at length and drew from
each his history. He recounted the
wrongs they had been guilty of against
society. He did this in kindly tone
and manner, suggesting In mild form
that both might have been useful mem-
pers OF some community had they.
sought honorable means and methods
to secure livelihood.
The court seemed puzzled how to as
sess punishment that would meet the
ends Of Justice and protect the. govern-
ment, Its lands, Its wards and society.
Finally, sitting upright In his chair,
looking over his glasses as both men
stood before him, in voice little loud
er and more positive than usual he
said:
MI. BrowR, 1t Is the sentence of the
court that you be confined In the Cole
county jail until you are educated to
read ana Write. The Judge then turn
ed MS eyes upon the other prisoner at
tne bar and, possibly In louder voice.
said, MI. Jones, 1t is the sentence OF
fhe court that you be confined in the
Cole county jail until you have taught
Mr.. Brown to read and write, and l
enJoin upon the keeper of the jail to
anord you every facility possible win
the safe keeping of his prisoners"
The lawyers and spectators In court
looked With astonishment at each 9TH
er as the sentence was concluded, and
the marshal led the prisoners out of
the courtroom.
it was the second term Of the court
after TINS incident when the marshal
conducted Brown and Jones into court,
0n0 If Qnnn1nnQ6 Inv tho nNnrf