Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1911-05-14
AN IDt1L. IN COURT
Made to Serve the Ends of Justice
 h 3 Case In Japan.
THE FUSE OF 4 WISE MAYOR.

bridge, in Yeddo, was sent with heavy pack of valuable cotton goods on his back to dyer in Honjo district. When the stores messenger reached Yoko gaWa stres nt> was ready to seek rest What moI s1fe than the little grove of trees set a0out the stone statue of the god Jizo. the patron saint of traT eiers and defenseless woman and chil d-en.
 The somno}ent porter awoke from nap to find that. his employers cotton had disappeared. In great distress be went to the storekeeper and confessed that ne had slept and that a robbeI had made off with the goods during his .lumher The master would not be ,ieve his story, saying that it wontd have been impossible for IObber [" make eff with so large a bundle ia broad daylight. Unless the portrF should pay for the lost goods he wou ] have to go to prison. said the master Tn despair the porter took counsel oi Mayoe O-oka
 "Ycu are certainly to blame for h9N ing falien asleep" reproyed the mayor, Out JiZe is equally to blame, f9r ..e is q god bound to protect every "ar who trusts in him. and in this tnstarse hn has betrayed you. l will have b,n arrested and brought before nle for ,ria}"
 0-.,Na gave immediate orders to hls court officers to go and arrest the .'izC 9f Y0Sogawa street and bring binl pc fore the mayors seat for trial. 1lh'er of i'le officers departed on their le;s sion. They frs: hound the arms oi t,3a stone GnEt r.t-'l coils nf rorc; thel thry trioa IT. Fl him from his fir: r., Ii. sta into n cart. X great croW2 ,~srmbied ,seIore the !izo. attraeef, ny 1ie unl!sll:ii 3@lls:V,o. of the c0ar' a;stcpcS. Wien they were to!d tho .'i;4e had t. -o hefore thp mayor fol !iii. .,4a citizens Inarveicd.
 Iho ,asN ut unseatin% thc cod wa~ -,n much for tho three eorrt offl"ars and they sought aid of those standing abour. They promised tll;it ill return for assistance they would admit a' volunteer workers into the courtroom to witness the ;raordinary trial Hundreds were spu"ed by curiosity tc lend Q hand. and when the stone god went through the streets strapped to cart like an offender the crowd grew It filled the great hall of justice when JiZo was placed before tile plat form upon which sat the raayor. O-olzi. addressed the god in stern words.
 "Yon are a negligent fool 0 Jizo,' he exclaimed in voic. loud enough for all to hear. You are supposed to protect every one who believes ir you and who renders tribute, yet thi> trusting porter here made a prayer t you. then fell asleep at your feet, ant he was robbed while he slept. You stand accused Of being an accomplic. in this robbery. Have you anything to say for yourself before I pass sen tence?'
 Mayor O-oka waited for 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 cd sentence immediately.
 Since you do not defend yourself l consider that you are guilty" said his honor, ''ard I shall imprison you"
 At this remarkable spectacle of |. mayor passing sentence upon a stone god there was q litter of laughter O-oka thundered in q voice of brass.
 ''Who are all these people standing about heTe?" he inquired of his court officers. Are they accomplices of Jizo or only plain thieves? They think this court is renny show, and they laugh at the courts orders. Shut all the gates at once"'
 The scared attendants hastened t. shut the gates of the courtroom. Then Mayor O-ol:a adjudged every man ill 70 great crowd in contempt of court md fined each of thcm one tan Ca kl- mono lcngthl of cotton cloth. The hun t1rcds thus suddenly found in conteE-- were happy that their punishment 4sd t3en 50 light at least, and under bonds ,'Iey h"rr.cd to their homes to bring I3ck -Ae cloth fine. Before tho d2y .-.s done TOO pieces of cotton cloth ..,9a bncn presented before the mc.-c-'s .ourt, the nalne of each culprit beinc set down upon the one tan of cotton 10th which he presented.
 Dlfore he would allow the 100 to go, however, O-oka retired with the DOT ter who had been robbed to an inncr chamber, and hc asked the porter to look over the 7NO pieces of cotton cloth and sec if he could idoa,ify any of them az having been onec in the pack he had carrisd. s.nee every nm ufacturer of cotton cloth in Yeildo ai- ways marked tho se!vcce of each strip with 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. Tyo found that two of the pieces of cloth brought to pay The mayors fine bore the stamp of his pl,lndered pack. Instantly Mayor o-oka gave orders for the arrest of the t~-o men who had bror"llt this clo'h. T'a1e5' confessed to the robbery. and all