Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1911-01-28
AN IDOL. Ih! COURT
Made to Serve tAe Ends of Justice
 In Q Case In Japan.
THE RUSE OF A WISE MAYOR.

Ng pack of valuable cotton goods on his back to dyer in Honjo district When the stores messenger reached Yoko- gawa stres Is was ready to seek rest. What mon safe than the little grove of trees set about the stone statue of the god Jzo. the patron saint of trav- elers and 6efHnseless woman and chtl- dren.
 The eomnosent porter awoke from nap to find that his employers cotton had disappeared. Tn great distress be went to the sSorekeeper and confessed that he had slept and that robea' had made off with the goods during his slumber The master would not ba- lieve his story. saying that fl would have been impossible for a pbber 10 make off with 80 large bundle iu hroad daylight. Unless the porter should pay for the lost goods hs would have to go to prison, said the master. In despair the porter took counsel of Msyos O-oAa
 You arc certainly to blame for bay ing fallen asleep" reproved the mayor, ''but 1izo Is equally to blame. far e'e is a god bound to protect every cue who trusts in him. and in this tnstanre he has betrayed you. l will have him arrested and brought before nle for trial.'
 O-os1a gave immediate orders to his court officers to go and arrest the Jizo 9f IofogaWa street and bring btIu be fore the mayors seat for tI.laf. TlfT2a of the officers departed on their ltis- sion. They first bound the arms of the stone god with coils of rope; then they tried to lift him from his tirra assembled before the Jizo, attracted ''y tho unusual behavior of ths court officers. When they were told that ,JiHo had to go before tho rnayor fur trial the citizens marveled.
 The sask of unseating the god wsts too much for the three court officers and they sought aid of those standtne about. They promised tha4 in reta11n for assistance they would admit all volunteer workers into tho cosartnoD to witness the extraordinary trial Hundreds were spurred by curiosity 10 lend n hand and whe0 tho stone god went through the stres'ts strapped io cart like an offender ths erowt grew. It filed the great ball of justice when Jizo was placed before tho plat form upon which sat the mayor. O-oka addressed the god in stern usoItfs.
 'You are negligent fool. o Jfzo!~ ne exclaimed in voice loud enough for all to hear. You are supposed "a protect every one who believes in yo:l and who renders tribute. yet this Trusting porter here made prayer tc you. then fell asleep at your feet, and l.o was robbed while he slept. You sta2d arcueosl of being m accomplics in this robbery. Have you anything to Sey for yo7lTself before I pass sen tanrc?"
 Mayor O-aka waited for q few mo- monts as If expecting the stony lips of .7iZo to open in reply. but when no answer was mada by the god he pass ed sentence Immediately.
 ''S:nce you Go not defend yourself consider that you are guilty said his honor. "as,G shall imprison yo1l."
 At thts remarkable spectacle of paaynr passfae sentence upon a stone rcd there w1ss litter of laughter. G-oka thundered fin voice Of brass.
 Who gre el these people ssanding about here?" he Inquired of his court 9..cers. "4Arc they acconpices of Jizo .or oNly plain thievcs? They think this eo'7rt is q pe1srg show, and they laugh st t'9e courts ort.prs. Shut all the G"t@s at o9"r'
 The scared cttandants hnsNened to s,aut tlo sateS of tho courtroom. Then N+ryD!' C-ol-c .d!udEed crery man in lie Yrnat er9r.d In con:e5,1lt of "ourr end fined each of thcln ono tan ta ki- l,T5sno iH'scf.a af f-ottc0 cloth. I'bc hun frots tiigs; suddenly found IT. contempt ere ilanpy tilat thcir punishment had ;Fer ss;t !ight at leGst, and under bonds t'nv hurried to their homes to bring hack tAe e;otl. fine. Before tha dny 1;as Goao TOO pieces of cotton cloth .la'l baen presented hofor2 the mayors cou,+. the naale or eG"h cu.pr;t being
 
 co.h which lie presented.
 Before ho would allow the 1e0 to go, however. O-oka retired with the DOT ter who hnd been robbed to an inner chamber. and be asked the porter to look over the 101 piecns Of cotton cloth and sec if hc could .aaa.ifv any of them as having been once in the pack he had carried. Since every man. ufacturer of cotton cloth in Yeddo al- ways marked the selvaee of each strip with little rcd trademark stamp the porter searched the edges Of the many strips of cloth for stamp similar to that borne on the cloth of which he had been robbed. IIc found that two of the pieces of elotl brorlSht to pay the r.syfr's nne Ter. the .... ~a:. of hts plundered paeS. lr@ssatly Mayor C-oka gave ordesr for the arrest of the two men who had brought this cloth. They confessed to tho robt~rv snd all 1 ef she cloth thev had taken from the cloocinp Dortar.x r>ocE- u-oS r,aat.rrQd tO |