Pioneer press. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1882-19??, 1915-04-17
JUDGE LINDSEY AND
BEAST BATTLE ANEW
During Twelve Years He Has Done
Nothing But Fight and Willing
to Continue.

DENVER, April 9.VPictureS q lit
tie man about five feet three inches
tall and weighing about 1OC pounds.
IN repoSe he is soft spoken. He is a
Judge. few years ago he began to
eXpound the theory that boys and
girls who violated the laws neverthe-
less had souls. He believed that q
boy in short trousers, or still in his
teens who went astray was not neces-
sarlly damned for the rest Of his life
Then he put these theories into prac-
trio. Things that he said began to
carry weight. People listened to him.
and this quiet, little judge, whose
heart went out to boys and girls, be.
gan to talk. 1t developed that the
same tongue which spoke only words
or encouragement, advise, and cheer
Tor WayWard young folks, had a veri-
table saw-edge for certain grown-ups.
The little judge wrote a book 1t
was called "The Beast and the Jun.
gle 1t exposed one of the worst
conditions Of political corruption In
right in the Judges home town
Denver
A terrible wall went up. And for
twelve years now Judge Ben B. Lind
5ey, OF the Denver juvenile court
IOr that is who this little Judge is
!as been fighting.
In twelve years Judge Lindsey ha
1een forced to run for election sew
ines, made fights for appointme
-ilrae times, and has faced the pros
Dect OF two recall elections Neither
OF these, however, progressed C. tho
Holnt Of coming to vote. lSut r,a
sn,t all. Every legislature since 19n.
as brought forth some sort Of "ant
LINDSEY Dill. This year is no excep-
zion.
Each new attack upon Judge Lind
Sey attracts attention, but thew are
really only incidents in the general
assault which, as Judge Lindsey will
tel! you, is designed to wear me out,
and impoverish me, physically as
we'll as financially"
The fight against Judge Lindsey has
not only been conducted through the
Legislature, and threatened recall
elections. DR.. Bates testifying before
a special committee here, admitted It
was sort Of a submarine war" Judge
Lindsey will tell you how he has re-
ceived telephone calls at night, and
has been told that young boys or girls
have been found in the red light dis
tr1ct. This was when Denver had
such district. These calls, the Judge
learned, were made in hopes Of trap.
ping him. Everything had been ar
ranged to catch" him in a disreput.
able resort through trickery.
Judge Lindsey's hands are tide 50
far as combating this sort of attack
is concerned. Owing to the statutes,
person cannot be charged with per-
jury IN Colorado for making a false
affidavit and the judge cannot reach
those who sign the affidavits or those
who cause them to be signed.
The harrassing part of the thing
from the standpoint Of "The Beast
has been that Lindsey kept right on
talking, and every time he talked he
hit somebody. The cry was taken up
that the Judge was giving Denver
..'unfavorable publicity" BY expos
ing corruption and hitting at the
grafters he was said to be giving the
city en- unsavory reputation. SO the
fight has been conducted on the
theory that If they could remove Judge
Lindsey from the juvenile bench
where he first attracted attention,
what he had to say would cease to
attract attention.
The recall was first tried in the fall
OF 1913. Judge Lindsey has just been
confined for three months in the hos
pltal. Public meetings were held and
recall petitions were circulated, but
THE Beast" could not get enough sig.
natures.
When the Judge went east with the
wives of striking miners in the spring
''H TO plead their cause, the re
call eDdeavor was revived. It failed
again.
In addition to being elected seven
times. the judge has also been ap.
pointed three times, twice by hostile
boards Of city commissioners and
once by Mayor Robert w. Speer, one
Of his political enemies.
Two years ago Judge Lindsey was
elected by $4,000 majority out Of
$4,000 votes cast for the office.
The bills introduced in the legis
lature directed against Lindsey have
been as varied In character as the
different angles Of the fight against
him.
When Judge Lindsey has left the
city on speaking trips he has employ
ed judge to take his place ON the