The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-01-23
Laynan Enthuses and captivates
Spectators by His Brilliant De-
fense Of His Two Young
soma on Trial.
GEMS OF DESCRIPTION
Father Fighting for Right Of Youth to
Have Its Pleasures Brings Up
Higher Law Of De-
velopment.

James j. Fallon walked from his
work in the smelter box factory into
the superior court late yesterday aft
ernoon and within an hour was
famous.
THAT man missed his ealing; he
ought to have become an attorney;
he Is better than most lawyers in
town now" said an auditor of the
trial that occurred, and all day today
/ that neighborhood was buzzing with
similar praise Of the manner in which
Fallon conducted the defense of his
! two little boys on trial for a mis-
demeanor.
| They were charged by w. A. Dor
son, a railway mail clerk, with dis
; turbing the peace by coasting in a
little wagon on the sidewalk of Eigh-
teenth street between Main and Blon-
deau streets But the merits of the
case itself were submerged under the
praise given the father for the way
in which he conducted their defense.
The Higher intent of the Law.
He cross-examined the witnesses
for the prosecution in the most skill
full manner and brought out OF his own
witnesses exactly what was relevant
to his line Of defense. He made a
speech to the court which was one
Of the best ever heard there. Finally
he himself made and perfected an
appeal to the district court, after the
decision in the superior court went
against him.
That his kids are live, full blooded
Americans and have right to enjoy
themselves, was the higher law he
pleaded with oratory that thrilled his
audience which increased every
minute s'the news of the proceedings
got around.
This ordinance was never intend
ed to deprive children of the joys
and pleasures of youth he argued.
Boys and Motorists.
He denominated the complaining
mail clerk as "a man of deep study
for whom a deep silence must be
maintained, because he can not stand
the rattle and the prattle of the baby
and the patter of Its heels
He drew a wonderfully vivid pic
ture in parallel Of the noise made
by the boys with the coasting wagon
and the complainant, Dorson coming
home and trying to get into his
garage with "the putting and the
whirling and the buzzfng and the
rafting of his tin Lizzie stuck in the
mud"
His witnesses were John Thoeney
and Mrs Charles Hass, both of whom
live nearby, who said they had given
the Fallon boys permission to coast
/ on their sidewalks and believed in
allowing boys to have a good time.
Had. to Bandase His Ears.
| Mr.. and Mrs. Dorson testified for
/ the city, and Dorson said the coast
+. ing wagon made as much noise as a
/ train.
| Joe Blondett, another witness, is
night engineer at Swift's and has to
sleep days He said he had to keep
/ his windows closed and put ban
dage over his ears to keep out the
noise of the play of the Failon boys.
! Albert Fallon, the eldest of the two
defendants, was placed on the stand
/ by his parental attorney and said he
was good boy, who went to school
regularly and never was impudent to
] the Dorsons or anybody else.
/ In his cross-examination OF Dorson,
/ Attorney Fallon went into Dorson's
not having any children of his own,
his attitude toward children in gen.
eral, and his definition of a good boy
I-Dorson said he liked good boys.
I A Pioneer of Eighteenth Street.
| City Attorney Dickey waived his
opening argument after the evidence
was all in, and Fallon began his
speech which made him famous. 1t
Included the superb recital of a poem
on human rights, and a description
of that neighborhood at Eighteenth
street when Fallon was pioneer
there and went there to rear his chill
dren as stalwart Americans, before
there were any sidewalks or much
else but hills, hollows and mud.
Judge Mcnamara found the two
boys-they are ten and twelve years
Iold-guilty and postponed sentence,
Intending to forget about it later.
But when Fallon gave notice of ap-
peal, Judgment had to be entered, and
the court made 1t fine Of $50 and
costs for each defendant. Fallon per-
fected his appeal and put up the re-
quisite bond promptly.
He remarked that he would have a
lawyer in the district court, but the
court habitues say they think that
would be Ill advised, as Falion can
do it better himself