Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1911-02-18
AN IDOL IN COURT
Made to Serve the Ends of Justice
 In a Case In Japan.
THE RUSE OF A WISE MAYOR.
This Solomon like Official, to Whom an Innocent Mao Accused of Theft Ap. peaied, Devised Simple Scheme That Diseio.ed the Real CuIprits.

Innocent Man Accused of Theft Ap-
 peaied, Devised a Simple Scheme
 That Diseio.ed the Real culprits. One day servant employed by the proprietor of big store near Japan bridge, in Yed.lo, was sent with a heavy pack of valuable cotton goods on his back to dyer in Honjo district. When the stores messenger reached Yoko- gawa stres ne was ready to seek rest What nor safe than the little grove of trees set about the stone statue of the god Jizo. the patron saint of trav- elers and detnnseless woman and chil- dren.
 The somnolent porter awoke from a nap to find that his employers cotton had disappeared In great distress he went to the s&Orekeeper and confessed that he had slept and that robbey had made off with the goods during his slumter. The master would not be- neve his story, saying that 1t would have been impossible for robber to make off with so large a bundle iu 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 hay. ing fallen asleep" reprOved the mayor, but Jizc is equally to blame, for se is a god bound to protect every one who trusts in him, and in this instance be has betrayed you. I will have him arrested and brought before me sor trial"
 O.oi1a gave immediate orders to his court officers to go and arrest the Iizo of Yokogawa street and bring bim 5e fore the mayors seat for trial. Three of the officers departed on their 1ris sion. They first bound the arms of the stone god with coils of rope; ther they tried to lift him from his firm pedestal into 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 marveled.
 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 hand. and when the stone god went through the streets strappeC to cart like an offender the crowd grew. It filled the great hall of justice when Jizo was placed before the plat form upon which sat the mayor. Ooka 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 supposed: to protect every one who believes ir you and who renders tribute, yet this trusting porter here made a prayer tc you, then fell asleep at your feet, ant he was robbed while he slept. You stand accused of being an accomplice
 ln this robbery. Have you anything to say for yourself before I pass gen. tenceW
 Mayor O-oka waited for few mo- ments as if expecting the stony lips of Jizo to open in reply, but when TO answer was made by the god he pass ed sentence immediately.
 "Since you do not defend yourself consider that you are guilty" said his honor, "and shall imprison you" At this remarkable spectacle of b mayor passing sentence upon stone god there was litter of laughter O-oka thundered in voice of brass.
 "Who are all these people standing about here?" he inquired of his court officers. N"Are they accomplices of Jizo oronly plain thieves? They think this court Is a penny show, and they laugh at the, courts orders. Shut all the gates at oncev'
 The scared attendants hastened to shutcthes gates of the courtroom. Then Mayor O-oka adjudged every man in the great crowd in contempt of court and fined each of them one tan Ca ki- mono length of cotton cloth. The hum dreds thus suddenly found in contempt were happy that their punishment had been so light at least. and under bonds they hurried to their homes to bring back the cloth fine. Before the day was done TOO 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 700 to go. however, O-oka retired with the DOT ter who had been robbed to an inner chamber, and he asked the porter to look over the 700 pieces of cotton clothhand see If he could identify any of them az having been once in the pack he had carried. Since every man. ufacturer, of cotton cloth in Yeddo al- ways, marked the selvage cf each strip with a little red trademark stamp the porter, searched the edges of the many strips of cloth for n 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 che mayors fine bore the stamp of his