The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-02

william Berger, under the name of
Billy Lynch, in police court yesterday
served as the example by which Judge
Hine created, the precedent that ask
ing candidate for office for money is
begging and punishable under the law
against the latter offense. Berger was
sent to the workhouset for thirty days
At the corner of Ninth and Wabasha
streets Wednesday evening Berger ap-
preached Harvey e.. Hall, candidate
for the Republican nomination for
county attorney, and asked for money.
Through Hall police officers standing
in the neighborhood were made aware
of the doings of Berger, who was
promptly arrested and sent to the CEN
trail station. There he was locked up
on the charge of begging.
When Berger came into police court
yesterday and had been made aware
of the charge against him there was
doubt and indecision expressed in his
face. He was not sure of the nature
Of the crime of which he was accused
and SO told the court. Judge Hine ex-
planned that the charge was that he
had been begging on the street.
Only Struck Candidate
IT did not beg" said the prisoner in
decided tone. There was no reason
for making such a charge against me-"
"But the charge has been made and
you must either plead guilty or not
guilty." said the court.
But I did not beg" explained the
prisoner. ri:
did you ask man for money!"
mo, did not, in one way. I just
went up to Harvey Hall on the street
and asked him for help. I wanted to
support him for office. know him."
answered the prisoner.
did you ask Hall for money with
out specifying that you would repay
the amount?" fs8 sta
81 know Mr. Hall quite well. I saw
him coming up the street know that
he is candidate for county attorney.
believed that he wanted my support.
1 asked him if he could not let me
have a little something with which to
make life easier. I don't know what
he said to Patrolman Goven, but I do
know that the officer took me in
charge. 1 don't think it was fair to
arrest me, for I do not believe that
Hall had the money"
and you do not consider that beg
ging," commented the court. 1T is
sometimes called .'nooching,' but ac-
cording to law to ask candidate for
money is as much begging as TO ask
any other citizen for money. / con-
slider that you were engaged in a most
dishonorable practice" r
Shows Wooden Leg
'But I have often done the same
thing to other candidates and have
never before been arrested. AS the
court will see have an artificial leg
and can't make a living as easily as
some men, pleaded the prisoner, who
evidently saw that the court, having
been a. candidate for Office himself, APP
preciated the offense he. classed as
begging, otherwise 'mooching.'"
1.-The class to which you belong
should be where they cannot offend
against society,"" asserted the judge.
firmly. II will send YOU to the work.
house for thirty days as an example
to others Of your kind. The practice
Of forcing candidates to give away
money should be stopped in the inter-
est of good citizenship"
Berger was on his way to the work.
house an hour after the sentence had
been imposed, declaring to the officers
in charge that he was victim of cir
cumstances and simply happened to
be the. first man to be convicted Of
such an offense.