Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1911-02-15
AN IDOL IN COURT
Made to Serve the Ends of Justice
 In a Case in Japan.
THE RUSE OF A WISE MAYOR.

pealed, Devised a Simple Scheme
 That DiscioSed the Real cuIprits. one day a servant employed by the proprietor of a big store near Japan bridge, ill Yeddo, was sent with heavy pack of valuable cotton goods on his pack to dyer in Honjo district. When the stores messenger reached Yoko- gaWa stres nh was ready to seek rest. What nor safe than the little grove of trees set aoout the stone statue of the god Jizo. the patron saint of tray- elers and defenseless woman and chil- dren.
 The somnolent porter awoke from a nap to And that his employers cotton had disappeared In great distress be went to the sSorekeeper and confessed that he had slept and that a robbeI had made off with the goods during his slumher. The master would not bt,- deve ais story, saying that it would have been impossible for robber to make off with so large 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 hev- ing fallen asleep,' reproved the mayor, but Jizc is equally to blame, for ..e is q god bound to protect every ruc who trusts in him. and in this instaroe he has betrayed you. I will have h,m arrested and brought before nle For trial"
 O.o;1a gave immediate orders to his court officers to 90 and arrest the .!iZc of Yckogawa street and bring hirl 3e fore the mayors seat for trial. 1l-ee of the officers departed on their ieis- sion. They first bound the arms of the stone god with coils of rope; ther they tried to lift him from his firl: pedestal into cart. A great croW3 assembled before the Jizo. attracted by the unusual behavior of the cGrrt officers. When they were told that Jizo had to go before the mayor for tlial 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 ill return for assistance they would admit aE 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 strapped 10 a 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. O-ok:. 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 tc protect every one who believes ir you and who renders tribute, ye. this trusting porter here made prayer tc you. then fell asleep at your feet, ant he was robbed while he slept. You stand accused of being an accomplics in this robbery. Have you anything to say for yourself before I pass sen tence?'
 Mayor 'O-oka waited for a few mo- ments 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 consider that you are guilty" said his honor, "and I shall imprison you"
 At this remarkable spectacle of a 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. '"Are they accompliees of Jizo or, only plain thieves? They think this court Is a penny show. and they laugh at the courts orders. Shut all the gates at .Once."
 The scared attendants hastcncd t. shut the gates of the courtroom. Then Mayor 'O-oka adjudged every man i'll the great crowd in contempt of court and fined each of them one tan Ca Xxi. mono lengthl of cotton cloth. The hun- Art>ls thus suddenly found in contempt were happy that their punishment had been 50 light at least. and under bonds they hurried to their homes to bring lbacH tIae cloth fine. Before the day was dome 7GO 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 iae presented.
 Before he would allow the roo to go. however. O-oka retired with the DOT ter who had been rcbbed to an inner chamber, and he asked tine porter to look over the TOO pieces of cotton cloth and see if he could identify any of them as having been once in the pack he had carried. Since every man. ufacturer of cotton cloth in Yeddo ai- ways marked the selvage of each strip with a little red 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. He found that two of the pieces of cloth brought to pay the mayors fine bore the stamp of his plundered pack. Instantly Mayor O-sla gave orders for the arrest of the