Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1911-02-09
AN ill)i. 1.1l COURT
Ma5e 10 Serve th2 Enis of Justice
 In . Case n Japan.
THE RUSE OF 4 WISE MAYOR.

That Disc'o. ed the Real Cu!P.its.
 One day servant empioyCd by tEe proprietor ot t big store near Japan bridge. in Ned'lo. waS sent with a heavy pack of vaIHible cotton goods on his back to a dyer in Honjo district When the stores Il esscnger reached Yoko- gaWa stre' nh was ready to seek rest What nor stfe than the little grove of trees set aoout the stone statue of the god Jlzo. the patron saint of tray elers and defcnseless woman and chtl- dren
 The somnolent porter awoke from q nap to find that his employers cotton had disappeared. In great distress be went to the sGorekeeper and confessed tbat he had slept and that d robbeI had made off with the goods during his slumber The master would not b" 'ieve ais story, saying that it would have been impossible for robber tn make off with so large bundle ia broad daylight. Unless the porter should pay for the lost goods he would haNe tu go to prison. said the master. In despair the porter took counsel of Mayor O-oka
 "Ycu are certainly to blame for h9v ing fallen asleep,' reproved the maY"r, "Dut Jizc is equally to blame, for s,e is a god bound to protect every @nc who trusts in him, and in this insta1"e bc has betrayed you. I will have hnn arrested and brought before nle tor trial"
 O.92;a gave immediate orders to hj1 court officers to go and arrest the .'i2c of : ..,,-..=;, yt,. @,.y>, &nG assa- li9 ne fore tho l'aEors soat fer tsial. lls@c Of t;ie officers departed on thaiI lfi@ sisa. They first bound the arms eae stone soet wilt coils o1 rope; thel thoE ;r.ed to lift him from his fsi. ,T1<st"i mo a cart. \ rreAe cr0Wa ;,.... .s.',pd hefara the .Iizo. attraeic] r., thn unusual behavior Of the co1tj cis.co;@. When thaE were told tho :. ;:." l:!d to ::o before tn, mayor fur i: i4 the citizens marveled.
 T ha ,asl, Of unsoatinG the god wa:' e0o :,:u Il fer thc three court otllcarS aud they sought aid of those standing about. They promised that in return for assistance they would admit aH volunteer workers into the courtroom 10 witness the extraordinary trial Hundreds were spurred by curiosity to lend a hand. and when the stone god went through the streets strapped 10 a cart like an offender the crow6 grew It filled the great hall of justic' when Jizo was placed before the plat form upon which sat the mayor. O-oll;. addressed the god in stern words.
 "You are a negligent fool. O Jizo" he exclaimed in a voice loud enough for all to hear. "You are suppose. to protect every one who believes ir you and who renders tribute, yet t,li> trusting porter here made a prayer t you, then fall asleep at your feet. ant Ec was robbed while he slept. You stand accused oe being an accomp3.c. in this robbery. Have you anytlin" L" say for yourself before l pass sen t2nce?"
 Mayor O-oka waited for few mo mcnts as if expecting the stony lips of .Fi=c to open in reply, but when no answer was made by tho god he pass cd sentence immediately.
 ''Since you do not defend yourself consider that you are guilty" said his honor. "and I shall imprison you.'
 At this remarkable spectacle of 6 god there was tittor of laughter 0-oEn thunGe"cd in voice of brass.
 Who are all these people standing about here?" he inquired of his court officers. Are they accompliccs of JiZo or only plain thieves? They think this court is q penny show and they laugh at thc courts orders. Shut all the :~Ht"s at on"c"'
 Gh" scar~a attcndants hastcncd t. Shut tho @"tcs of the courtroom. Then Mayor O-o';n HHiud@cd every man in thp :r""t crowd in contempt of court and fined each of thom one tan Ca ki- mono lcngth of cottcn cloth. Tie hun Grcds thus suddenly found in contemnt were happy that their punishment had been so light at least. and under bonds they hurried to their honcs to bring baCl; the cloth fine. Before the day was done TOO pieces of cotton cloth h9d been presented before the mayors court. the name of each culnrit being set down upon tho enc tan of cotton e'n'i hi h hH prosecuted.
 H"sore hc would rllow the 1C0 to 90 however. O-olla retired with tho DOT Ter who h2d been r. e3bed to an inner chamber and he asked the porter t0 look ever the 1G0 pieces of cotton cloth and seq if he could i''Ha'iHy any Of them as having b"ca e.. 2 !n tie pac!: le had carried. s'inee cEcI', ,can- ufae'u"or Of cotton tlGth in Yeddo al- fvsy& marked tho solra~e cf each st"i0 with Il little rcd trademark stamp "a porter searched the edCes of the many strips of cloth for stamp similar to that borne on the cloth Of which he had been robbed. He found that two of the pieces of clot,, brought to pay .he mayors fine bore the stamp of his plundered pack. Instantly Mayor O-ol.a gave orders for tke arrest of the