Omaha daily bee., 1908-05-23
FARCE COMEDY IS AUTO DAY
One Obscure Man Identified for Ex.
oeeding the Speed Limit.
OTHERS NOT KNOWN TO POLICE
Crowd of Spectators disappointed in
the Morbid Curiosity of Seeing
Prominent Citizena Fined
for scorchinR.

Living in retirement when at home and
bent over desks n high office buildings
when at work ssved many men whose
names are familiar TO almost everyone In
the city, but whose faces are unknown to
any police officer, from being fined for
exceeding the speed limit in automobiles
when brought into police court Friday.
These are the men whom the policemen
who sew and timed the machines could
not identify: E. NJ. Fairfield. general
manager OF the Omaha Water company;
I Lee Mcshana p. Wells. d. c. Bradford Of
the Bradford Kennedy Lumber company;
]. J. Deright, automobile dealer; o. C..
Redlck, automobile dealer; Frank H.
Gaines, attorney, and f. r. Needham
But the police knew Charles H. Wilson,
for they followed him on motor cycles and
overlook him when the machine stopped
at the Henshaw hotel. and he was fined $40
and costs. George McLain was also iden-
titled and caught, but took a continuance
until Saturday.
TO the large number who had assembled
in police court to see the poor rich
soaked "automobGle day" was a great dis
appointment. AS one after another the
prisoners were led before the bar where
10000 John Does have stood they appeared
70 realize the enorm2ty of the offense with
which they were charged. but some Of
them did not know what the charge was,
while attorneys told the court that others
did not know that man under, arrest
had to come into court when hearing was
held. Far from being Indifferent to the
holy Just and beneficent law, which Is
no respector of, persons. the prisoners were
anxious and car looks as they were
grouped about the railing and awaited
their regular turn to be called to plead.
Nc. NJ. Fairfield First.
f. M. Fairfield was the first to be called
The Officers had taken his number. He
Identified It as the same on which swings
a leather sign wluch looks like a horse
blinker and bumps the clods under his au-
tomobie But the officer could not identify
Mr. Fairfield as the man who was at the
pilot wheel. AS Judge Crawford said Dis
charged" Mr.. Fairfield walked out of the
court room.
ID. c. Bradford" said the city prose-
cutor, stand up!'
To the peoples bar walked the we'll
known lumberman. He plainly showed in
his face the strain under which he has
labored since his arrest and the anxiety
as to what the charge would be.
Guilty or not guilty" said the court.
"I do not know what the charge Is"
faltered Mr.. Bradford nervously biting a
button off his coat.
Running an automobile too fast" ex-
planned the judge in mild and sympathizing
tones.
''WelI-well-I don't know-as I did,"
pleaded the prisoner.
The officer who took the number which
corresponded to that of Mr.. Bradford was
sworn. He was Jean Valjean in appear
ance stern enforcer of the law. But he
could not swear that 1t was Mr.. Bradford
who was operating the machine.
1T was young man, with a round.
ruddy face, but the machine was going
too fast" explained the policeman.
Judge Crawford looked at the pale face
of the prisoner before him. Plainly 1t was
not "ruddy" and perhaps not young, and
the court said discharged
Redick Pleads Not Guilty.
Assisted TO the bar by his attorney,
"Chat" Redick faced the stern court Of
ficials. mot guilty" was the plea, The
officer said he could not identify the pris-
oner as the man who was pulling open the
gasoline plug when the number of the ma
chine was taken As Judge Crawford was
about to say discharged, the prisoner in
dicated by a faint gesture that he wished
TO be heard.
Il would like to know where the machine
was exceeding the speed limit and when"
said Mr.. Redick. II discharge my men for
violating the law"
do you ever drive more than fifteen
miles per hour yourself?" asked the court,