Waterbury Democrat., 1902-12-05

The first day man sits in judg-
ment on the actions of his. felloWman,
with the power Of the state behlhd
him. would seem to the average lay
man a day to be remembered through
out ones life. 1t would seem to be a
critical day for the newly appointed
Judge. for trivial as the accusation
against the accused may be, the one
sitting in Judgment upon him holds
his liberty in his hands. The aver
age man would think that the newly
appointed judge must experience
strange feelings and emotions When
passing sentence The novelty OF the
position, the mere idea that he is to
decide whether the accused shall or
shall moi, be confined within the limits
of a legal place of detention ought TO
create such emotions in him that
would confuse or dazzle him. The
natural disposition of the man ought
TO surely present itself in the judicial
utterances that is framing itself on his
lips So would the average man think.
Judge CoweH. who has more expert
ence in the courts of the city than any
of the other judges, says he has been
on the bench so long he thinks some
times that he was born there. That
was so long ago that he cannot recall
tine sensations he felt on facing his
first prisoner. Judge Cowen thinks
that if he was not born on the bench
he must have certainly grown to It.
There was no regular court when ne
first brewed his political aspirations.
Instead, men found in the act OF VIC
lating the law were taken before a
Justice of the peace, and as often as
not he was either defender OF prosecu-
tor. so by that means he grew accus-
toned to court procedure, and many
a time he imagined himself on the
bench when in fact he was in bed or
sitting behind his corncob pipe in his
office From this it is apparent then
that the judge had his dreams of high
station early. Though he cannot recall
the sensations of his first trial, he con-
siders the funniest case he ever heard
was that against man who boarded
on Abbott avenue and was up for
breach of the peace. The mans de-
Tense was that the noise he made was
saying his prayers. If that was noise
the man would like to know what
however. that the man did make a
noise. even admitting that he was say
ing his prayers, and the Judge was in
a quandary what to do with him. 1t
was evident that the man would not
have prayed as loud as he had had he
been entirely sober, so the judge de
cided that the mans method of praying
was not the conventional one. though
his thoughts were in the right place.
but probably more through force of
habit than actual devotion. And as he
was certainly deserving man. he I'M
doubtedly deserved a place where he
could pray without disturbing the pub
lie. and he was sent there.
The impressions of his first morning
on the city court bench are still fresh
in Judge Burpee's memory. Like
Judge Cowell, he had for years been
accustomed to court procedure before
he was elevated to the bench, so that
change of seats in the court room,
while one would think would effect
very little change in his mind. did. in
fact put an entirely different complex
ion upon things as they presented
themselves to him. Il had been prose
cutting attorney for some time before
I became Judge" said Judge Burpee
so IlaI Wnlle II might De SAID i was
accustomed to almost everything that
could happen in a court, I found upon
assuming the bench great many
strange. things. To make the punish
ment fit the crime is not an easy mat
ter in many cases that come before q
judge of the CITY court. particularly
when the accused is young person
and harder still when that person hap
pens to be a girl In such an instance
I have very often suffered great dea
myself, for the main question in suci
n case is how TO protect the public
Much as the judge is inclined to bt
1enient with the prisoner, he must no
have other people suffer on his or hel
account.
ssWith bows and girls I always ex
perience great difficulty in determin
ing their eases. especially if it is thei
first time in court The question il
such cases is how to save the accused
Whether punishment will save then
and prevent them from committin:
crime again or will it only be- tn