Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1901-06-06
A UNIQUE SENTENCE.
THE NOVEL PENALTY A JUDGE I'M
POSED UPON TWO MEN.


Goth Prisoners We're Condemned to
Jail Until One of Them, IA College
Graduate, Taught the Other How to
Read and Write.
Along In the seventies the late Judge
Arnold Krckcl was holding court at
Jefferson City, relates an Old timer,
when there appeared before him two
men charged and Indicted for viola
ton 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 ~
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.
Mr.. Jones was native of New York,
n graduate of Union college and was
educated for lawyer. He possessed
a highly cultured mind, n good Latin
list 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 loft that country and plunged
into the great west and located no.
body knew where, but he driftcd into
the lower strata of society, and to OBJ
tain the ncccssarics of life he rcsortcd
to "bootlcgging" among the red men
of the Indian Territory border. His
arrest and imprisonment followed.
The two men We're arraigncd before
Judge Krckcl 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 recountcd 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
bcrs of some community had they
sought honorable means and methods
to secure n livelihood
The court seemed puzzled how to as
seSS a punishment that would meet the
ends of justice and protect the govern
mcnt, It's 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
or and more positive than usual he
said
"Mr. Brown, 1t Is the sentence Of the
court that you be confined in the Cole
county Jail until you are educated to
read and write" The judge then turn
cd his eyes upon the other prisoner at
the bar and, possibly in a louder voice,
said, "Mr. Jones, it is the sentence OF
the court that You be confined in the
Cole county Jail until YOU have taught
Mr.. Brown to read and write, and |
cnjoin upon the keeper of the Jail to
afford you every facility possible with
the safe keeping Of his prisoners"
The lawyers and spectators In court
looked with aStonishmrnt at each 9th
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