The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-08

fenced the negro cabman to serve f5 days in jail. and the man actually served the | term, while the white men who had beat en him unmercifuify went scot free.
 A Sunday Morning Incident. These two instances of isthmian justice are outdone by a recent occurrence in the coast town of Nombre de Dios-Name of God, the oldest Spanish settlement on the isthmus. Business had been poor with the alcalde at Nombre de Dios for many weeks, and he was in dire need of money. One Sunday morning negro came down from the manganese mine q short dis cts quantity of Colombian silver The alcalde summoned three policemen, gave to each a revolver. and, putting a fourth in his own pocket, led the minions of the law on a hunt for the negro and his cash charge of disorderly conduct hav- ing already been framed against the fel- low, who was entirely harmless and who had committed no breach of the peace. Turning a corner and seeing him short distance ahead, the alcalde called to the negro to halt. Instead of obeying the heading back for the manganese mine, and instantly the Sabbath morning quet of sleepy old Nombre de Dios was broken by a fusiilade of pistol shots. The al were blazing away at that fleeing negro. desperate in their desires to corral the cash he was known to have on his per son. To his fieet-footedness and the poor escape, for he succeeded ih making his way back to the manganese mine with his skin intact and the silver. still in his pocket. Hard times were. by last reports, still pursuing that particclar alcalde.
 System is to Be Reformed.
 Under the republic there is determina
 ton to correct these abuses and establish the administration of justice upon a more in lies one of the real fruits of secession, for. indecisivc as the officials are on other points, they are positive on this one. Their eyes are fully open to the necessity for reform in this regard, and under the direction of Senor Mendoza. minister of justice, a scheme is to provide a more government building 1t is stated that few, if any, of the police magistrates and judges who were in office when the repub- lie was set up. and who are still perform having been determined to dismiss near ly all of them and i'll their places with men of more intelligence. better versed i'll the law and of great incorruptability. Just now justice is being administered according to the Colombian statutes. which have been amended by the Junta, So as to cause them to Tt the recent changes in Panamas political status. Senor Mendoza, competent lawyer, is, however. working energetically to prepare civil and criminal codes, and have them adoption These codes will provide for the desired reforms fin the judicial sys- tenn. and Senor Mendoza means to so frame them that the administration of justice will. while made truer and purer, be rendered more simple and less ex- pensive than 1t now Is. Lower fees for court officials will be permitted less lati- tude in the imposition of sentences and disposal of eases than is now allowed them. At the same time they will be held to stricter accountability for mon9ys coming into their possession, and ss they will be paid their salaries regularly. there will be less occasion for hem to resort to grating than obtained under the old regime.
 Republics Plan for a Judiciary.
 Under the plan mapped out by Senor republic. after the adoption of u consti-