The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1911-05-18

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made an exhibit TO this report. We
invite your attention to it.
Snyder is white boy; he is de-
formed; he was a poor boy; he says
the negro cursed him and called
him a vile name and he hit the me-
gro. This committee would dare say
that 1t is travesty on justice to
Impose such penalty on a white
boy for striking negro.
You will observe from the con-
tract referred to that the highest
sum f. N. Weigel pays for the pris-
oners is three-fourths of the court
costs and all Jail fees; and also
that unless the prisoner has to
work at least 80 days, and does
work that length Of time, no costs
whatever accrue to officers and
none is to be paid by Weigel. The
prisoners are to work under rules
prescribed by the county Judge,
county clerk and sheriff of Pulaski
county. We set them out as exhibit
b to this report and invite your at
tention thereto. The contract fur
Their provides that Weige shall
treat the convicts humanely.
Believe Officers Neglectful.
We do not believe the officers of
Pulaski county pay any attention TO
the manner of treatment of those
Iconvicts, else if they do their ideas
about humane treatment are en-
entirely different from ours. The
ordinary court costs of justice of
the peace court trial is about SIG in
Pulaski, we are advised. That would
be requiring Weigel to pay $i2 only
| for the services of a man sentenced
to six months on his farm, and real
ly making him the driver of slaves,
placed in bondage by wicked con-
tract entered into between Pulaski
county, through its county judge,
and sanctioned by other officers of
the county.
We pronounce it a hell hole and
say the people of Pulaski county
should require their judge to take
some steps to better care for the
persons unable to pay their fines.
Blame Local Courts.
In large measure the justice and
police courts are responsible for
these people being there and en-
shaved as they are. Too often do
we find the charges to be trivial and
| far fetched. AS an illustration, we
call attention to the charge of the
court the prosecution of the ne
gro Jordan named. He was before
the police court and the charge was
for attempting to commit fraud by
attempting to break open store
and rob a gas meter" Such a
charge, we venture to say, was new
er before dreamed of; then to fine
him 5000 and six months on this
rock pile is more than justice will
sanction.
Reforms by Judge Tweedy.
We have made considerable in
quiry as to the present police judge,
Mr.. Tweedy, and from what we are
able to learn he is trying to revolu-
tionize the procedure of his court,
and he bids fair TO make an officer
| that will do his position credit. We
predict that there will be a less
number of persons sent to the rock
pile in the future under his admin
istration.
We are told that lawabiding citi-
zens are found going over the city
seeking employment at some honest
lavocation, and are taken up by the
various deputy constables, princi-
lpalIy in Argenta, and are tried be-
fore some justice of the peace, us
ually on charge of vagrancy, ano
condemned to this place.
We applied to the governor for Q
pardon for the white boy, Snyder
and the negro, Jordan. Governor
Donaghey very kindly gave it to US
and we took them from the place
Jordan gave us no statement further
than that obtained from him at the
rock crusher, but Snyder gave uI
/ his statement after we took hin
from the place. Much criticism is
due Little Rock and Pulaski county
for permitting such a place to be
maintained at the Weigel rock pile
Much more might be said about il
than we have here said.