The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-12-25
WOMEN VOTERS HELP
JUDGE LINDSEY WIN
Recall of Famous Juvenile Jurist
Falls Flat When Put to Test.


very interests seeking his political
destruction, and with every member
of the committee his open and avow
ed enemy, was the recent experience
of Judge Ben B. Lindsey of the Den
yer Juvenile Court, originator of the
Juvenile court system now in exist
ence throughout the United States.
Several months ago, about May,
circulars were sent broadcast
throughout the country attacking
Judge Lindsey and the Juvenile
Court of Denver. Most of the cir
culars were anonymous, and when
they were signed at all they pur-
ported to be issued by 'The Women's
Protective League" Such an or
ganization was hitherto unknown
and it's membership, if it had any
members at all, has never been made
public. According to Judge Lindsey,
the only members were Rodney Cur
tbs, E. X Whitehead and DR.. Mary
Elizabeth Bates.
Whether the charges of Judge
Lindsey be true, the three persons
above named were the leaders in the
recent movement which had for it's
object the recall of "the little
Judge" DR.. Bates was his open and
avowed opponent in public utter
ances and in private.
At the time the circulars first
made their appearance in Denver
and elsewhere, the judge was under
going treatment at sanitarium and
was not here to defend the charges
brought against his record. The
circulars charged mismanagement on
the part of Lindsey in conducting his
court; that he neglected his duty by
giving lectures throughout the coun-
try, and that he extended leniency
and condoned offences committed by
men and boys against girls. To sub
stantiate their statements they repro
duced certain Jail blotter records
which, it was subsequently shown,
did not correspond with the actual
records of the Juvenile Court.
When Lindsey returned home,
about three months ago and threw
down the gauntlet and dared them
to come out and fight in the open, his
challenge was accepted. He defed
the so-called league to prove it's
charges, and charged that DR.. Bates,
Curtis and Whitehead were oppos-
ing him at the behest of the corpora
tion interests which were assailed
by Lindsey in THE Beast and the
Jungle"
1t should be mentioned that Curtis
is eX-president of the Denver City
Tramway Company, one of Denver S
wealthiest citizens, and has always
lined up with the corporations
Whitehead is secretary of the HUI
name Society of Denver, a private
corporation. He, too, has always
been closely associated with corpora
tion interests. DR.. Mary Elizabeth
Bates is a practicing physician, and
ever since the publication of "The
Beast and the Jungle" has been an
open enemy of Lindsey. Two years
ago she was in the public eye for sew
eral months by reason of her charges
against the management of the Old
Ladies Home, a charitable institu-
tion of Denver, which she claimed
was "hell' instead of a home"
Her charges were investigated by the
State Board of Charities and Cor
rections, which declared they were
unwarranted.
In order to further their progress
in their fight against Lindsey, his
opponents finally directed all their eff
forts to put through a set of resolu-
tions at meeting of the Denver
Taxpayers Association. Soon after
Lindsey's return in September, such
resolutions were introduced at a
regular meeting oof the association,
but failed to pass. They called for
an investigation of Lindsey's record
and also demanded his recall.
AT meeting two weeks later the
resolutions came up, but friends of
Lindsey demanded that he be given
chance to defend the charges be-
fore vote was taken. This de-
mand was granted, but the meeting
ended in near riot and a police
man was called to restore order.
At regular meeting one week af-
terward, Judge Lindsey was present
and answered every charge that had
been made against him. Curtis and
his followers were also present.
Riotous scenes also prevailed at this
meeting and the entire session was a
stormy one. The lie was passed and
repassed and the arrival of the po-
lice alone prevented several fistic en-
counters. When a semblance of or
der was finally restored, the resolu-
tions were passed amid shouts of ap-
proval and howls of derision and
Kisses. The Lindsey forces at the
meeting were plainly outnumbered
Chairman Martin, after a consulta-
tion with Curtis, then announced a
committee of five to fully investi.
gate the charges against Lindsey
The committee was made up of three
men and two women, all openly
avowed enemies of Lindsey, especial
ly its chairman, H. S. Vaughn.
The committee made a careful anG
searching investigation of every
charge against Lindsey, and theil
findings subsequently reported were
a complete exoneration of both thu
judge and his court record This
ended the miserable effort to ruiz
Lindsey's splendid record and the
attempt to force his recall.
During the campaign agains
Lindsey, if it can be called a cam
paign, the better element of boil