The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-10
NOT FOR HIMSELF
BY FRANK LAWRENCE.
(Copyright.)


leaned back and gaxed about the
crowded court room. Then the district
attorney faced the jury.
The evidence against Jud Golden.
gentlemen" he said in quiet tones that
carried to the farthest corner. proves
conclusively that he IL . desperate
unit to be ct large.
The street gang has made him what
he 10, and when We send him back to
prison We are striking at the organ
ized crime of New York city.
"That means that when we strike at
Jud Golden we are not merely inflict-
ing just punishment upon . rufaan
who prowls about with brass knuckles,
knife and revolver. engaging In all
forms of crime-now . little black
mailing affair, now beating up q help
less man for q few dollars. or COM
hitting murder for a scarf pin"
II object, your honor" interrupted
counsel for the defense. my client Is
not ON trial for robberies or murders.
but for killing q man in self-defense;
and furthermore"
"Objection overruled." raped the
Judge. Proceed"
81 repeat" continued the district at
torney, that We are not striking at
this one man, but at the gang that Is
undoing the work of the home, the
school and the state.
Nov, gentlemen, your duty Is clear.
Release Jud Golden, and you not only
expose society to a dangerous man,
but you encourage the gang spirit
which 10 rotting the vitality OF our
city"
Then, turning to the Judge, he said:
"Tnasmuch as the prisoner has spent
the greater part Of his infamous life
In some form Of Jail for every kind
of crime, I ask you to send him back
where he belongs. He is morally in
capable Of living in a law-abiding COM
i munity.
Nobody wants him. He has no
friends, no means of earning an hon.
est living, absolutely no reason for re-
naming among decent citizens. The
man Is a moral leper, and as such
should be confined"
The district attorney then al.
dressed the court In the rhetorical
style which had so endeared him to
the people. As he finished his sum
ming-up, he seated himself quickly
and with nervous fingers fumbled hit
papers and law books.
He was afraid to look up for feal
Of smiling. Those near him wills
pered their congratulations or passed
up notes from his friends.
At length the weary wait terminated
with the return Of the jury. who an
nounced, through their foreman, tina
the prisoner had been found guilty
The Judge raped for order.
| Before I pass sentence on you. Jud
son Golden" he called harshly, ii
there anything you wish to say in'you
behalf?"
Il All eyes were turned toward tn
prisoner, who seemed taller and NOR
chastity as he leaned over the dock.
you've got me. Judge" he salt
slowly. blinking his squinty eyes q
the sea Of faces before him. II CUES
I've been pretty we'll introduced. an
might as we'll look pleased an let tn
ceremonies 60 on.
81 amt goner do the Edelman ACT
anyhow. What I've done. I've done
II I'm sorry, that's my business a
long as I'm ready to stand the gan
But there's somethin'-"
The words failed to come, and tn
big man stared helplessly about. shift
ing his feet and gripping the railing
His blood.shot eyes rested for q mt
ment on q little old woman at hi
right who sat with bowed head. The
he recollected himself.
"That man Is right about the CANT
It's done for me. I'm crooked a.
double-bowed knot an then some. Br
I amt goner air my private Affairs an
more'n I have to. An I amt beggil
OF. It's not for myself I'm talkin'.
you've heard that hadn't oughte
be at large; that no one 'ud miss me
I was shot instead Of Edelman. That
. lie. I know there's lots 'ud be gla
to pay my funeral expenses. but ~
got one friend right here now-m
mother"
u The prisoners voice broke as b
pointed unsteadily to the little Of
woman with the faded bonnet. who U
to this moment had passed unnotice
People all over the, court shift<
about to get q look at her; sever
cameras clicked. There was gener
whispering. interpreted with cries
"Sit down." Keep still" and IL
him talk!" which died away on Il
command Of "Order!"
The prisoner turned to the distri
attorney.
III "You told my story pretty well. b
1 you didn't tell It all. You didn't t.
'em my mother went out by the d,
while I played with the gang. "
didn't tell 'em I used to steal b
money when she came homo bent
] two from the washtub. Yes, an stru'
: her when I was only ten years old b
cause she wouldn't gimme five cen
for cigarettes.
"why didn't you tell how stamp
on the cakes she smuggled in to 4
at the reform school? Why did
you mention my comm home fight
drunk after bein' away five years?
upset the table where she had evel
- thing spread out for my return, ma