The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-03-05
w. .. I. u. Snace.

This space belongs to the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union and they
are responsible for what they print.
a New Way to Deal With Drunkards.
Judge VIM. Jeff Pollard OF the See
ond district police court has lid all
Of his own. He doesn't put the lid on
time Judge Pollard has been requiring
certain classes Of drinkers, especially
those who fail to provide for their fami-
lies, or abuse their wives, to sign an
ironclad temperance pledge.
A good example is found in John Roth
meyer, teamster of 1923 North Sixth
street, who was on the police court carr
pet for getting drunk ard frightening
the wits out of bis wife by his threaten
ing conduct The three little Rothmey
ers, ranging in age from two, to eight
years, took refuge under the bed TO es-
cape the wrath of their father Roth
meyer was penitent when he sobered up,
but he found charge Of disturbing the
peace lodged against him, and saw the
work house staring him in the face.
Mrs. Rothmeyer was in delicate health
and II the father had been sent to the
work house for month there would
have been no one TO provide for Che FAM
ily. Judge Pollard called the offending
teamster TO the bar Of iustiee and had
a heart to.heart talk with him. Roth
meyer admitted his wrong.doing. lie
wanted to quit drinking
well, I'LL give you an opportunity
said the judge producing one Of his
printed slips. ''You Just sign this tenn
perance pledge for a year
Nov, what you want to do IA to
keep away from drink for the first
month"; said Judge Pollard Il am 90.
ing to impose fine Of s25 on you, which
win stay on good behavior. But | want
10 know that you keep your pledge. I
live ut 1864 Finney avenue. Now, on
the night Of Oct. II and 90 you must re-
port to me NJ my house. Bring yont
wife with you. Come at night so YOU
won't have to lose any time from work.
because your family needs all the money
you can earn. Then report to this court
on Oct. 80 and if you have kept the
pledge / will stay the fine, but remember
that any time during the year that you
are found drinking ! win put the execu.
ton in force and send you to tho woyk
house.
Rothmeyer thanked Judge Pollard for
the opportunity Of keeping sober. Re
member, now, you've got to keep sober"
said the court, warningly. The law
compels you to. want to hear that
you have made better man OF yourself
and that You are providing for your wife
and children as husband and father
should"
With that Rothmeyer left the court
room with his wife who carried her
youngest child in her arms
As long as the germ of good is not
dead believe it is the duty OF the court
to save such men for themselves and
for their families" said Judge. Pollard.
II would rather make my court tribu-
nal of reformation rather than Of pun.
ishment. ! want to do the best for
the defendant and tho best for the city.
OF course it would do no good TO make
confirmed drunkard take the pledge.
The work house is the only place for
him. But have been requiring men to
sign the pledge for two and one half
years, and less than one per cent of
those taking it have broken IL. Ii /
had sent this poor teamster to the work
house what would have become Of his
family? II is better to make him keep
sober and provide for them than TO send
him TO the work house and turn them
out to starve. The system works splen-
didly.'
Judge Pollard requires several men to
sign this pledge every week. His re-
ports show that very few persons have
broken IL, and most Of those who have
taken it have completely reformed. At
ter staying sober year 1t isn't hard
matter 10 make temperance permanent
Judge Pollard paid the rent fer oae wo-
man whose husband he was comp,llel
10 send to the work house foF dyNnksn.
ness and he and Police Captain rickel
1 jointly paid the rent for another
The second district court ii tho ouly
tribunal in America which requires de-
PENDANTS 10 sign temperance pledge
The innovation has worked admirably
and there are IS or 100 men In the city
now who dare not Ret drunk under pals
Of being sent 10 the work house. Sc
Louis Star. Chronicle.