The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-12-29
AN IDOL IN COURT
Made to Serve the Ends of Justice
In a Case In Japan.
THE RUSE OF A WISE MAYOR.

This soIemen-li like Official, to Whom an
Innocent Man Accused Of Theft Ap.
peaIed, Devised = Simple Scheme
Tina. Disclosed the Real cuIprits.
One day a servant employed by the
proprietor of big store near Japan
bridge. in Yeddo. was sent with heavy
pack OF valuable cotton goods on his
back to a dyer in HOMO district. When
the stores messenger reached Yoke
Sawa street he was ready to seek rest.
What more safe than the little grove
Of trees set about the stone statue Of
the god JiZo. the patron saint OF trav-
elers and defenseless woman and chill
dren.
The somnolent porter awoke from
nap to find that his employers cotton
had disappeared. In great distress he
went to the storekeeper and confessed
that he had slept and that robber
had made off with the goods during, his
slumber The master would not be-
lieve his story. saying that 1t would
have been impossible for n robber to
make off with SO large bundle In
broad daylight. Unless the porter
should pay for the lost goods he would
have to go to prison, said the master
In despair the porter took counsel Of
Mayor O-oka.
"You are certainly to blame for hav.
ing fallen asleep" reproved the mayor.
"but Jizo is equally to blame. for he
is n god bound to protect every one
who trusts in him, and in this instance
he has betrayed you. l will have him
arrested and brought before me for
trial.
O-oka gave immediate orders to his
court officers to 60 and arrest the Jizo
Of Yokogawa street and bring him be-
fore the mayors seat for trial. Three
Of the officers departed on their mis-
sion. They first bound the arms OF
the stone god with coils Of rope; then
they tried to lift him from his firm
pedestal into a cart. A great crowd
assembled before the Jizo. attracted
by the unusual behavior Of the court
officers. When they were told that
Jizo had to go before the mayor for
trial the citizens narveled.
The task Of unseating the god was
too much for the three court officers,
and they sought aid Of those standing
about. They promised that in return
for assistance they would admit all
volunteer workers into the courtroom
to witness the extraordinary trial.
Hundreds were spurred by curiosity
to lend a hand. and when the stone
god went through the streets strapped
to a cart like an offender the crowd
grew. 1t filled the great hall Of justice
when Jizo was placed before the plat
form upon which sat the mayor. O-oka
addressed the god in stern words.
"You are n negligent fool, o Jizo!"
he exclaimed in n voice loud enough
for all to hear. "You are supposed
to protect every one who believes in
you and who renders tribute. yet this
trusting porter here made a prayer to
you, then fell asleep at your feet. and
he was robbed while he slept. You
stand accused of being an accomplice
In this robbery. Have you anything to
say for yourself before I pass SEN
tence"
Mayor O-oka waited for a few mo-
ments as II expecting the stony lips OF
Jizo to open in reply. but when no
answer was made by the god he pass
ed sentence Immediately.
"Since you do not defend yourself I
consider that you are guilty" said his
honor. land shall imprison you"
! At this remarkable spectacle Of a
mayor passing sentence upon a stone
god there was litter Of laughter.
O-oka Numbered in a voice of brass.
who are all these people standing
about here?" he inquired Of his court
officers. "Are they accomplices Of Jizo
or only plain thieves? They think this
court is penny show. and they laugh
at the courts orders. Shut all the
| gates at once"'
! The scared attendants FASTENED to
shut the gates Of the courtroom. Then
| Mayor O-oka adtudged every man in
! the great crowd Ia contempt OF court
| and fined each OF them one tan "a XII
mono lengthy of cotton CLOTH The hun
! dreds thus suddenly found in contempt
were happy that their punishment had
been so light at least, and under bonds
| they hurried tn their homes to bring
/ back the cloth fine. Before the day
:. was done zoo pieces OF cotton cloth
| had been presented before the mayors
| court, the name of each culprit being
| set down upon the one tan Of cotton
cloth which he presented.
Before he would allow the 100 to go,
however, O-oka retired with the por.
ter who had been robbed to an inner
chamber, and he asked the porter to
| look over the 100 pieces of cotton
cloth and see Il he could identify any
| of them as having been once in the
| pack he lad carried. Since every man.
ufacturer Of cotton cloth in Yeddo al.
ways marked the selvage Of each strip
! with a little red trademark stamp the
| porter searched the edges OF the many
/ strips OF cloth for a stamp similar to
| that borne on the cloth Of which he
| had been robbed. He found that two
. Of the pieces Of cloth brought to pay
| the mayors fine bore the stamp Of his
| plundered pack Instantly Mayor
| O-oka gave orders for the arrest Of the
two men who had brought this cloth
| They confessed to the robbery. and al
OF the cloth they had taken from the
| sleeping porter's pack was restored t.
| him--Japan Magazine.
To accept good advice Is but to In
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