Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-15
an OF GUILTY,
JEDGE, 70 HONAH!"

//K EAR ye, hear ye. hear We, All
60 - persons having business before
the honorable judge of the Po-
- n lice Court of the District of
Columbia will draw nigh and
give their attention. This court is now in
session"
At last the Police Court is to begin.
These are not the first words of command
heard in the court room. although they
mark the formal opening of court AS the
judge comes in, the words. Hats of. find
seats, please" make you hastily remove
your head covering and sink into the near
est chair.
Following the formal opening of court,
comes the reading OF the collateral list. AS
the names are read, each one being pro-
uounced three times, you wonder II 1t is a
list OF prominent men, past and present.
If the names represent the shades of de-
parted, it would be found on investigation
that the shades, giving these names. were
almost all dark. In that list OF persons who
have put up collateral for their appearance
in court are such names as George Wash
ington Andrew jackson, Ben Franklin.
John Smith, John Brown. John D. Rookie
Teller. Patrick Henry, John Doe, etc. Be-
fore that collateral list has been read
through the reader has twisted his mouth
into about forty-seven positions, for he has
had to pronounce names of every national
ity and race-Yankee, English. French, Ital-
ian, Hebrew, German, Russian, Chinese,
Greek, Spanish. etc Truly. the Police
Court embrace in it's defendants every
nation and every color on the globe 1t is
the most cosmopolitan of courts
There are few responses to the names.
Those who do answer are usually foreign
ers. who take in earnest what is told them
about coming to court at the station house,
and some few others who feel grieved at
being arrested.
Following that begins the regular work of
the court in trying cases. The prisoners in
the dock are the first to receive justice
from his honor.
Charles Odds calls Clerk Lum Harper
from his desk. just below that of the Judge.
In answer. there springs up to the rail of
the prisoners pen a white man. His walk
IS a SLOUGH and his nerves are on the out
side. His eyes are as shifty and as active
as a Jersey mosquito his face slips fire.
quently. his limbs shake. and the days
growth on his face and his disheveled hair
look like wheat field after June thunder
shower His swarthy skin indicates lack
OF acQuaintanceship with water and soap.
As he takes his position in the dock, the
clerk begins reading:
You are charged on the first day OF Au-
gust, 1905. and ever since that day. with
being an idle and disorderly person, a per-
sun VI cNli NE ana lame, fOunQ drunk on
ID street northwest. What do you say
guilty or not guilty?"
Not guilty"
The officer who made the arrest takes the
stand and. after being sworn, testifes
Your honor, Charlie Is done fiend /
have known him for some time aud 1t would
not take long to tell the dates ON which
he was not charged with overlooking on
liquor and dope. Yesterday | saw him ON
Missouri avenue, thinking he was picking
silver dollars out of the air. He was also
reciting biblical names In a manner NOT
used by Sunday school teachers. / locked
him up. When we got him behind the bars
he started to chase imaginary rats ali
around the cell. He thought he was a
human cheese and that all the rats in
Hamelin town had come to the feast"
What do you want to say for yourself,
Diddsg asked his honor.
Judge, want drunk yesterday. have
given II up" replied the prisoner, taking
the stand.
You've given up drinking" exclaimed
his honor. How long SINGER
Since / got out of the ~workhouse last
time"
You haven't been out very long?''
oh. yes; I've been out long time. Itn