The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-09-22
IDAHO JUDGE
RIVALS LINDSEY
| Puts Weyward Boys to
Work Instead Of
In Jail

lDAf1O FALLS, lQd.-frODaIo
Judge Peck has many calls where
he has to use rare judgment in de-
Gliding cases and he humanity feels
that justice should be tempered with
mercy and common sense when pass
ing sentence.
There is the case of the two boys
who stole Virgil Gains big automo-
bile the other day and took a Joy
ride; that was bad thing to do;
gets the boys into thinking that they
can do thing of that kind and get
away with it, and at the same time
the owner of the car suffers mental
anguish and fear that he may never
see his car again, or if so, in badly
damaged condition.
Have you ever been in the Bonne-
vile county jail? That is personal
question, but it no reflection on your
integrity. The question means as a
visitor. Well, if you have you know
it is vile place, dark, i'll smelling,
poorly ventilated, with open toilet,
no sunlight and is cold and damp
and clammy and in there are hard
ened criminals, tough birds being
held on charges of bootlegging and
worse crimes. 1t is an unhealthful
place physically and morally and not
a fit place to confine human beings,
tho it is the best that can be done
under the present conditions.
There was some criticism of the
light sentence imposed on the two
youthful prisoners. but under the
circumstances the ten days punish
ment is enough. 1t would be better
if some other method of punishment
could be found other than a Jail
sentence; work out in the sunshine
and let the money be turned back
into the county, and that is just what
Judge Peck did let the pris-
oner out from the foul cell into Gods
bright sunshine on parole and bond
and let him do useful work and earn
the money to pay his fine to the
county.
The young man in question is an
outdoors man, healthy and with the
bloom Of youth and vigor in his
cheeks and confinement in the jail
is not only bad for him physically,
but morally, for he comes in con-
tact with some hardened sinners; it
is true he did steal saddle, but you
know a good looking saddle is big
temptation to semi-cowboy. He re-
ceived a thirty day Jail sensence.
Along comes a man who needs to
have his cattle "drifted" from one
part of the range to another. Men
are scarce. He interviews the gen.
tlemen of leisure who hang around
the street corners and demand $40
a day for their services, and even
then are not very keen about work.
ing, and they know nothing about
cow-punching. Judge Peck learns of
it; in fact the cattle man told him
and the Judge has the youthful cow
puncher prisoner before him and
agrees to let him out of hte damp
and smelly jail provided the en-
ployer will guarante his good be-
havior and will turn the money in
that is to be paid the boy to the
county, so that his fine may be paid.
Several good purposes are served:
The youthful prisoner is doing good
work, he is paying his obligation in
good, honest dollars, while he is out
in the open and away from loath-
some place, and the county is saved
the expense, which is the least con-
sideration.
Bonneville county in its probate
Judge has a rval in the famous Judge
Lindsay Of Denver.
ra.- Y4= q.