Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1903-10-01
SERVED 4 QUEER SENTENCE.
Ths Novel JudSmsnt Passed ~ Mis-
seuri Judse bDoa TIVE
Prisoners.

I6Ibuu OAtyp heA~~~ -
when there appeared before him two
men charged and indicted for viola
ton of the United States laws, one
of whom win be called Brown. He
was charged with cutting timber ON
the public domain. Brown was about
40 years old and had been raised on
the border in Arkansas and never
had any opportunities for schooling;
hence was unable to read or write.
In his endeavors to get living he
had cut timber suitable for making
ax handles on United States lands,
which led to his arrest and impriss
onment. The other man will DO
called Jones, says the Jefferson City
Tribune, for the real names OF both
men are not known in the memory
Of anyone who witnessed the mol
dent.
Jones was charged with and In
dicted for having sold liquor to the
Indians. Mr.. Jones was native OF
New York, q graduate Of Union COL
leRe and was educated for lawyer.
he possessed q highly cultured MIND
"a good Latinist and Thoroughly
scholarly in all sorts Of books. NOT
succeeding in his profession in his
native state, more from lack OF ap-
plication than otherwise, he left that
country and plunged into the great
west and located nobody knew where
but he drifted into the lower strata
Of society, and to obtain the neces-
saries Of life he resorted to boot
logging" 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 their history. He recounted the
wrongs they had been guilty OF
against society. He did this In Q
kindly tone and manner. suggesting
in q mild form that both might have
been useful members Of some COM
munity had they sought honorable
means and methods to secure Q iiveli-
hood.
The court seemed puzzled how TO
assess punishment that would meet
the ends Of justice, protect the gov
eminent, Its lands, its wards and so
ciety. Finally. sitting upright In his
chair, looking over his glasses, as
both men stood before him, in o voice
little louder and more positive than
usual, he said: "Mr. Brown, It 10 the
sentence Of the court that you be
confined in the Cole county jail un-
I'll YOU are educated TO read and
write" The Judge then turned hii
eyes upon the other prisoner at the
bar and. possibly in 4 londer voice
SAID: "Mr. Jones, IL 10 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 / enjoin upon the keeper of the
Jail to afford you every facility pos
sible with the safe-keeping OF hi
| prisoners" The lawyers and spec
| tators in court looked with astonish
ment at each other as the sentence
was concluded, and the marshal LEI
| the prisoners out Of the courtroom.
II was the second term OF thu
court after this incident, when thu
marshal conducted Brown and Jonel
into court, and II was announced b!
the court that Brown had completed
his education-resdy to graduate
able to read and write. Judge Kreke
looked over his glasses and asket
that the prisoner give him an evi
dence Of his being able to read
Brown stood up and read few para
graphs from O newspaper TO the sat
isfaction Of the court. when he said
"Mr. Clerk, will you let him sit o
a table and write me . letter" Pa
Der, pen, ink and o seat were fur
nished Brown, who went to work q
write letter to the court. For som
time the poor fellow struggled witt
the task, and in the meantime Jone
was very nervous, fearing he woul'
be compelled to go back to jail an
stake up school" again. Finally tn
clerk said: "May IL please you
honor, the prisoner can write. bu
| A &c.. sa~kannoa IN maize