Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1911-02-02
AN IDOL IN COURT
Made to Serve the Ends of Justice
 In a Case In Japan.
THE RUSE OF A WISE MAYOR.
This Solomon-liE,e Official, to Whom an Innocent M:-n Accused of Theft Ap. peaed. Devised a Simple. Scheme That Disc'o- ed the Real Culprits.

Innocent M:-n Accused of Theft Ap-
 pealed Devised Simple Scheme
 That Osc'o-ed the Real Culprits.
 One dsI. u servant employed by the proprietor ct big store near Japan bridge. in Yed.lo. was sent with heavy pack of valuable cotton goods na AiS back to dyer in uonjo district When the stores essenger reached Yoko- gaWa strc' LIP was ready 10 seek rest. What nor safe than the little grove of trees set aoout the stone statue of the god JiZo, the patron saint of trar- elers and defcnseless woman and chil- dren
 The somnolent porter awoke from Q 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 robbeI slumher. The master would not ba- ueve his story, saying that it wonld have been impossible for a robber to make off with so large a 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.
 "Ycu are certainly to blame for hsv ing fallen asleep" reproved the mayor, "but ,IiZc is equally to blame. for ,-e is q god bound to protect every one who trusts in him, and in this insttar;,e be has betrayed you. l will have htm arrested and brought before me for trials
 O-,Aa gave immediate orders to hi& court officers to go and arrest the .flsF of yGlSegaWa street and bring hill ne fore the mayors seat for trial. 1'in2e of the officers departed on their laiS- siun They first bound the arms or the stone god with coils of rope; ther they tried to lift him from his fir1e l>edG sta into d cart. A great eroWd assembled before the Jizo. attracted by the unusual behavior of the court oh5acei's. When the7 were told thot Jizo had to go before the mayor fur tlia! the citizens marveled.
 llt tiSh LII uuStulllIS tllC SOd W NuN 100 much for the three court of1lnars and they sought aid of those standing about. They promised that in return for assistance they would admit nE volunteer workers into the courtroom tc witness the extraordinary trial Hundreds were spurred by curiosity 10 lend a hand, and when the stone god went through the streets strapped tn cart like an offender the crow}f grew It filled the great hall of justice ':'hen .IiZo was placed before the plat form urcn which sat the mayor. O-oE;. addressed the god in stern words.
 You are a negligent fool, o Jizo." Ge exclaimed in a, voice loud enough fer all to hear. You are supposed: to protect every one who believes fr you and who renders tribute, ye. this trusting porter here made prayer tr you, then fell asleep at your feet, ant i.e was robbed while he slept You sttHNd accused of being an accomplic. in this robbery. Have you anything to say for yourself before I pass sen. t2nce?'
 Mayor O-oka waited for few mo- monts as If 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 l consider that you are guilty" said his honor. "and I shall i;nprison you.''
 At this remarkable spectacle of mayor passing sentence upon stone god there was filter of laughter O-ckn thundorCd in Il voice of brass.
 Who are all these people standing about here:" he inquired Of his court officers. '".kre they accomphces 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 on"r..''
 The scHrch attendants 'hnstened tt shut the gates of tho courtroom. Then Mayor C-o'.r :d'irdyoh every man in the great crowd in contempt of court and fined each of t!icm one tan Ca ki mono lcngth' of cotton cloth. The hun dreds thus suddenly found in contempt were happy that thcir punishment had been so light at least. and under bonds they hurried to their ho1nes to bring back the cloth finn. Before the day was done 700 pieces of cotton cloth had been presented before the mayors court, the name of each culprit being set down upon tho one tan of cotton cloth which he presented.
 Before he would allow the 700 to go, however. O-oka retired with the DOT ter who had been r. tbad to an inner chamber. and he asked the porter to look over the !00 pieces Of cotton cloth and sec if ha ooNld i6N-.ie- cry of them as having been on"c in the pack he had carried. Since every man. ufacturer of cotton cloth in Yeddo al- ways marked tho selvage of each striD with little rcd trademark stamp the porter searched the edges of the many strips of cloth for stamp si,nilar to that borne on the cloth of which he hod Tyn <hok