Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-02

Sii dignant judge, isn't the place closed
That is what I want to know" re-
piled DR.. Owenbaugh. II went TO the
Shief OF the Division of Housing and
Sanitation, and he insisted 1t had been
closed up. When I Investigated farther
round that the agent for this pro-
perty is n political fsctotum of the
ward leader, and he threatened to get
the inspector IL lie pressed the matter
Of condemnation. In fact, this agent
threatened to bring down upon the man
the wrath of his principal, a man of very
great power in this city, both financially
Hahd otherwise"
Who was that" demanded the Judge,
indignation again reflected in face and
tones.
willard H. Buckingham"
Mr.. Buckingham started and stared
truculently at the doctor, but ad-
monished by the gavel of the court, did
not speak.
Mr.. Buckingham was the owner of
that property?' intervened Victor Rollin-
son.
NO, sir he is the residuary trustee
Pasadena; | learned that Mr.. Buck
ingham had several times been ap-
preached with requests to improve this
property, but had always declined on the
interfere with satisfactory invest
ment."
And so while the actual owner en-
Jo%ed the balmy air Of sunny California
victor was beginning. when the
Court interfered with
And what was 1t. Doctor Owenbaugh,
that you told Aurentsky?"
"Why, l met Aurentsky that day on
the street 1t was the first time ! had
seen him since / had sfted out the
facts, although the family had often
been on my mind, and / stopped to ask
him II he had moved as l advised him
to. He said he couldn't afford to move
l tried to explain to him just what it
meant to keep his children in that at
mosphere. l told him the house had
been condemned as unfit for human
habitation and then went on and ex-
planned to him Just why the house was
permitted to exist and who was re-
sponsible for it."
Did you tell this man Willard H
Buckingham had killed this boy?"
I'm so many words, no, but the man
seemed to leap to that conclusion, and
did not try to dissuade him, because
in my own mind l thought It was very
just conclusion. OF course, l had nc
idea. that any such rash act would fol.
low"
"A just conclusion?" bristled the
court, suddenly very critical DO you
stand here as medical man and tell me
that Willard H. Buckingham killed this
mans SOM"
"As a medical man? Certainly not
From II professional standpoint 1 can
not even say where the typhoid germ
! came from that killed the boy. But
! can have an opinion; and personally
not professionally, 1 do not mind tell.
ing Mr.. Buckingham that before God
he is that boys murderer, and PROB.
ABLY NOT THAT BOYS ALONE"
The doctor. as he said this, INDUCED
| in no melodramatics he barely raised
his voice, but it carried to all corners
| of the room and for a moment he turned
hs
face of Buckingham. but this time
they were not gentle. There was hare
| gleam in them.
Prisoner remanded. for sentence,
announced the court, having Suddenl!
altered his intent in that respect, "anC
when that sentence is passed 1t win be
the lightest possible, with recommenda
tions for immediate parole. l will SEE
| that the State does not add to tn,
wrongs this man has already suffered
Adjourned! :"
The gavel fell.
That is an outrageous farce, trav
esty on justice ~ declared Buckingham
garing. at the judge and at Robinson
as he boldly laid himself liable to con
tempt of court What is the meaning
of all this extraneous proceeding? Ar,
the very courts in league with crim
nals?"
The spectators had started to move
but that savage question of Buckinng
rams hurled at Robinson stopped them
lnere was an instant settling back int
seats and hush of expectancy to se
what Robinson would say. Court wa
adjourned, but the courtroom was II
order the stage still set as for al
epilogue of the play, and Victor Rollin
son seized the situation for an exer
else of that skillful verbal swordpla,
of which he was known to be a mas
ter. Only man as rash as Bucking
ham would have dared to challeng
him, and, by the time the ambuscade. a
il amounted. had deVelODed he was TO
stubborn and proud to admit his mistak
and stayed to the end through a con
; test the inequality of which became NOR
apparent to the spectators with ever
moment.
NO" retorted Victor forcefully. "bu
the courts of America, theoretically a
least, are courts of Justice, not court
of vengeance. May I ask II you, sir
permit yourself no social sympathy a
an?"
II certainly do. sir" responded MI
,, Buckingham snappishly. II give MOI
to charity than the total income of hal
the lawyers in this town."
Mr.. Robinson flushed. He disliked Nj
5 Buckingham's vanity even more tina
5 he disliked his hardness of heart.
did not mean charity, Mr.. Buck
= ingham ! mean that sort of interes
e in the welfare of the masses whic
u keeps them from becoming objects c
charity" Victor, despite his CROWN
8 temper, was so calculatingly respectfu
? that Mr.. Buckingham, not perceiving II
= calculation. was somewhat notified.
s 'I give very largely to social settle
ment work, to industrial schools, to tn