The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-28

lVUAl Is a d IL Fl, Z
be shown III court as prlma faclo oVl-
- ' booTsTOE jUgrtcE EFFECriVi1.
g 81 summary and effective has been tho
Justice that for months has oozed out OF
tho toe OF 1Salelsch's boots that now he
Inns the hordes Of black dock ihborers
reduced to al state Of perfect subjugatlo lion.
order prevails about the pier, OFFENCES arc
few and far between for tho entire gang
statlds In terror Of the big and powof-
ftil German. Knlclscli Is Wise Ill his day
and generation, however, ,nnd never since
Ei,o became II dispenser OF dock justica
Iii Colon has he sot foot In tho native
quarter OF tic towh-thero nro too many
blacks who would tnko chances Of, n long
term OF Imprisonment for tho satsftlc.
4 tiot1 or running Il knife into his back aI.g
The foregoing Incident Is but ono Of
many that might be cltod. for MI lives
%tlgatloii confirms the fact that JUST Ice
here Is for tho native and against the
& white man, who has money OF which he
Gun be INFLICTED. There nre. however. cx-
ccptlons to this rulc for once In
while ali ncnlde will be found who be-
lieves In playing close to the white pop
ulntion. It happened so In Colon two
crlior Of the province. Mollcndes was
+ serving as alcaldc. hlollendcs Is friend
" OF ali Americans and secs tho wisdom
OF nourlshng that friendship IN n city
which Is dominated by tho Panama Rail
: road. Ono morning about O'clock
crowd OF Americans and Englishmon ~
Colon rolled out into tho street from
ono Of the many saloons and entered n
cub standing at the curb. ordering tho
driver to talo them to nearby gambling
house. Tho driver insisted that his ser
vicos were engaged by another party and
refused to do the bidding of the unsoug,it
occupants Of the cab. These men In
stantly set upon him and in trce llo
was beaten almost to insensibility.
AN EARLY MORNING TRIAL
The police came up on the run and tho
entire crowd of brnwlcrs was arrested
and hurried away to tho station house,
Before tho the black driver could enter
complaint against his nssnlants. the
latter had charged him with assault and
battery and demanded that Mollendes DO
sent for. Largessc. III tho form OF CO.
lombnn silver, fixed tho police force.
and Mollendcs responded Immediately
to the summons 8
1t was decided to hold the trial at
once, and Martin Hlgglns's saloon was
selected as the court room. Tho crowd
adjourned to thnt resort, where court
was convened. Mollcndcs took his seat
back OF the roulette wheel The negro
cab1rivcr, in charge Of two policemen,
was put in tho dock. Ono Of tho hmeri-
cans--thc man who had struck tho first
blow--appearcd as prosecuting attorney.
another undertook tho defense Of The
prisoner, and tho othors in the crowd
served as Jury.
fIor f~nn Ia, n NJ ~ ~
session OF tho court. eloquent speeches
were made BY tho prosecuting and de-
Tending attorneys, and without leaving
their seats. the jury brought In verdict
OF guilty. Mollcrdcs concurrcd in the ver-
dict, sentenced the negro cabnan to serve
fifteen days in jail, and tho man actually
served the term, while the white men
who had beaten him numerically went
scot free
a SUNDAY MORNING INCIDENT,
These two Instances OF Isthmian Jus.
tice are outdone by recent occurrence
In the coast town OF Nombre do Dios--
Name Of God-thc Oldest Spanish settle
ment on the Isthmus Business had been
poor with the alcnlde at Nombre do
Dlos for many weeks, and he was In dire
need OF money. Ono Sunday morning
negro came down from tho manganese
mine,aa short distance In the interior
juggling in his pockets Il quantity OF
Colombian silver. The, alcalde Summoned
three policemen, gave to each a revolver.
and, putting a fourth In his own pocket.
led the minlons OF the law on hunt
for the negro and his cash. charge
OF dlsorderly conduct having already
been framed against the fellow. who was
entirely harmless and who had committed
no breach OF the peace. Turning corner
and seeing him short distance ahead.
the alcalde called to the negro to halt.
Instead Of obeying the command the
black broke into run, heading back for
the manganese mine. and instantly the
Sabbath morning quiet OF sleepy old
Nombre de Dois was broken by fusil.
lade of pistol shots. The alcalde and his
escort of three policemen were blazing
away at that fleeing negro. desperate In
their desires to corral the cash he was
known to have on his person. TO his
fleet-footcdness and the poor markham
ship OF his pursuers he owed his escape.
for he succeeded in 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 particular alcaldc.
SYSTEM IS TO BE REFORMED.
Under tho republic there Is 81 determi-
natln to correct these abuses and estab-
lish the administration Of justice upon
a more equitable and respectable basis.
Therein lies one OF the real fruits of
secession. for lndecisive as the officials
are on other points, they are positive on
this one. Their eyes are fully open totthe
necessity for reform in this regard, and
under the direction Of Senior Mendoza.
minister of justice, scheme Is being