The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-08-06
HITTING 'EM HARD

Frank Stanley, a citizen Of Tampa,
writes to Dixie as follows:
II q cllnching argument was needed
as to the desirability of the recall of
public officials" especially judges, "the
cIincher' was supplied in the munic-
ipaI court in Tampa tuesday morning,
when Judge" 90 Cohen dismissed
charge Of assault with a deadly weapon
Can automatic pistoD preferred against
the notorious gambler and gunman,
Will Stafford.
This case, and the one a few days
ago, in the same court before the same
Judge, when Chas. E. Jones. Of Jack
sonville, was fined $50 for pulling
gun to prevent himself from being
murdered, is a concrete instance OF
the deadly parallel" the stencil of
which is so vile that buzzard would
flee from it instead of flying upon it.
Fearing that you had no representa-
tive in Judge James court when the
initial trial of VIII Stafford was on,
for crooked business at the late munic-
ipal election, / Will give you a few
pointers as to what took place in
James law foundry" where anarchy
reigned supreme, and justice appeared
to be blind in both eyes.
get that from the Tribune as the
Tribune was very fair in what it pub
lished, but very unfair in what it left
unsaid. II did not tell its readers that
Stafford, the defendant, called one of
the witnesses can Italian) who was
on the stand, a lying black -"
and half rising in his chair and putting
his hand on his hip pocket further
said: Damn you, I'll get you YET
Neither did the Tribune tell it's read
ers that the business of the court was
absolutely suspended for nearly five
minutes because Charley Wall, king of
the gamblers, rode up in an automobile
! to the courtroom door and sent for
the defendant gunman to go out to
him for a conference, which the court
graciously allowed. The Tribune man
did not state the facts as to the fist
| fights during a recess of the court,
when Mitchell Mckay, the mayors
brother, on two occasions attacked
| Dan Robinson and got the worst of the
deal each time, in spite of the fact that
he was backed up by as tough a gang
of gamblers and gunner as could be
raked up out Of Sheol with a fine tooth
comb.
1t was during the second fight be-
| tween Robinson and Mckay that the
sweet scented Billy Stafford pulled his
gun on Thompson and said, II will Kill
you" The writer was within four
feet of the sweet William when ne
make his playful remark and pointed
his weapon at Thompson. Such little
side plays by eminent" 'highbrows''
like BILLY" the gunman seem to be
held in high favor by honest 90 Judge
Cohen, but when a man like Charles
f. Jones tried to prevent himself from
being murdered, Judge Cohen is
which had to be supplied by Jones.
| We are told Eve should say nothing
but good of the dead" Judge James
is now dead, but 1 want to say this
much anyway.
! After the scenes of violence in court
in which Stafford threatened to get a
witness who was on the stand and
Threatened to kill another on the
street, L was certainly surprised to see
Judge James come out of a saloon in
the midst of a gang of gunner and
gamblers, for most of whom was the
"Malodorous" Billy Stafford.
More power to your paper-Dixie
Clean out the shambles. The local
or dare not; and if they try, Honest
Judge Cohen won't tolerate it being
done.