The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-12-07

It is all very well for the police authorities 1
of New York city to pull in the speed manaacs
Of that town for running their automobiles IN
such a way as to endanger limb and life, put
equal care should be taken TO see to 1t that
the punitory processes thereby evoked are treated
seriously and with respect One OF our New
York dispatches yesterday morning reported that
nearly 500 violaters of the speed regulations had
been brought before the Police courts of that
city on Monday, and that of these. a certain
Theodore Roosevelt Pell elected to go to JAIL
for one day rather than to pay his fine. But
when this young man arrived at the jail the
report says that he was greeted with cheers, ana
that he straiEhtway announced his purpose OF
giving all the other prisoners free dinner.
This he proceeded to do in the lofty manner or
| tn lose unfortunate persons who have more money
than sense Men employed at the jail for other
purposes than that Of walters were dispatched
Ito adjacent restaurants for the food, and all those
in the Jail for violation Of law, both those VINO
were there for running their automobiles too
fast and for other offenses, were soon enjoying
a bountiful feast.
It was prlncely in a certain sense, OF course,
but II was highly and fagrantly contemptuous
Of all that public authority which Is grouped
under the name OF law 1t showed that this
young man had money enough to pay his hne,
but that he preferred to spend the amount OF
tho fne-and probably more, too--in turning
all these serious processes of justice and pubic
! security into a convtvial Jest No young Amerl-
can has been properly brought up who takes
that view of public authority, and II he happens
likewise to possess a great deal of ready cash.
this cash only enables him to demonstrate more
clearly that he has been badly and dangerously
educated inspector Burke" explains in that
wholly misleading but effective play. within
the Law" that he must get" Mary Turner
because she has made monkey OF the police"
Thu premises Of tho play false and Its phio-
sophy destructive Of all sound, social order, but
this phrase used by inspector Burke is a GOOD
one and with one change describes accurately
this jail feast.
Young Mr. Pell made a monkey OF the law :
by turning his. jail sentence into scene OF social
reveIry. Conviction of violating the regulations
governing the safe Of automobiles in the
+ public streets Is of course not quite SO serious
as a conviction for or for murder; nat
the authority of law Is not to be divided in that
manner and particularly not by young man
who through some streak OF luck happens 20
have enough money in his pocket TO undertake
TO make the division. Just what sort or JAN
keepers they have down in New York we do
: not know, but obviously these keepers who
d helped the man committed to their custody to
:. turn the whole process Of condemnation and
= punishment into a contemptuous jest ore not
a at for their work They too, in their inferior
g way made a monkey of the law and presuna-
S. blv got a tip for doing It. 1t Is case Of CON
e tempt for law all through, but the greater re-
]. snonsihilitv rests upon the young prisoner him
e aor who whatever else he knows does not
II know should have been brought up TO KNOW
that the puntory provisions Of society whethe1
large equally entitled
and from no one more than from those ~h'
~ have been born 10 good name. and who haFt
n money enough 10 make their conduct an eA
o. tample-Hartford Courant.