Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-01-07
FLAYS'E:VIL DOORS
IN AN ADDRESS
JUDGE M. A. ROBERTS DEALS
WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT IN
SPEECH AT BURLINGTON.
SLABS THE VICIOUS
ostun1Wa Jurist Before Brotherhood o.
st. Paul Tells of His Attitude
Toward Wrongdoina
Hawkeye Has Story.

Miucing no words and Striking
straight from the shoulder on law
breakers, and laying particular empha'
sis on the gambling and saloon fed
lures, Judge M. A, Roberts of this city
delivered forceful address before the
Brotherhood of st. Paul Of the Bur
| lington NJ. L. church in that city last
evening. The Hawk-Eye this morning
has the following to say of the adj
| dress:
Judge NJ. A. Roberts of Ottumwa,
on the bench of the district court, was
the speaker of the evening. Judge
Roberts is prominent in the First NJ. e.
church of his city, and has become
noted for his fearlessness on the
bench in dealing with the rougher ele.
| ments, the ,flotsam and jetsam of OF
tumwa, including gamblers and the
criminal classes. Judge Roberts took
as his topic: 'The Duty OF a Lay.
man." but his address was rather
strong on lines of law enforcement
and the duty of the churchman in see
ing that the laws are obeyed.
sThe speaker was introduced by
President Sailor. and in his opening
remarks Judge Roberts said that ne
was glad to appear before the mem
bers of the Brotherhood. He stated
that he was a pretty good brotherhood
man himself, and that a great deal de.
pended upon the organized men. He
told of the Ottunlwa church taking the
idea of brotherhood from the First
church of Burlington, about fifteen
years ago. Judge Roberts said that he
had nothing new to relate about the
layman's duty. He had positive con
victions about the duty of the Chris
tian citizen. The leading minds in
any community are responsible for the
fortunes Of that community.
Law Enforcement in Air.
THE speaker did not mince his
words in dealing with lawbreakers.
and struck out from the shoulder on
the gambling and saloon features. He
stated that after fourteen years ey-
perience on the bench he believed in
punishment, but is opposed to max
ing laws above what society will main
tain Judge Roberts said it was the
duty of the laymen to see that the laws
are enforced. He was encouraged at
seeing how law enforcement is sweep
ing the country. Grand juries ara
more willing to indict Petit jurors are
more prone to convict I haven't any
sympathy with the do-less citizen,
| Judge Roberts said. I don't believe
any citizen has right to shut his eyes
and let violations of the law take
place in his very presence. There is
a false notion of how punishment is
! going to affect the criminal and his
| family
"'The spirit of law enforcement is
in the air. continued Judge Roberts,
| and the time is near when no man
will be tolerated who is engaged in a
business hostile to the welfare of the
community. You can't compromise
with wrong. You can't make it right
by compromise. If it is wrong, it's the
duty of every right-lninded man to say
it is wrong. You can't improve things
in a month or a year, but it is the
duty Of the men of the churches to
stand up and see that we reach bet
ter condition as rapidly as possible
| Judge Roberts said that anything
opposed to public policy must 60 H2
stated Iowa was taking advanced.
ground in law enforcement He spoke
of the stream of criminals that faced
him in the years pas. from Smoky
Pow, a foul section of Ottumwa. Dur.
ing this time he often wondered what