The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-11-18
UPHOLD ALL LAWS
ADVISES THE JUDGE
Jurist Delivers impressive
Charge At Faribo
GUIDE FOR CHILDREN
. A. B. Childress Declares Duty
Of Citizens To Enforce The
Statutes

Faribault, November 15-"I i'm
plore you as citizens OF the republic
to uphold the laws of the land" said
Judge A. B. Childress in his charge
10 the members of the Rice county
grand jury, shortly after the opening
OF the district court this morning.
Judge Childress was speaking more
particularly of the enforcement of
the state law regarding enforcement
Of the eighteenth amendment rela-
tive to the liquor traffic, when he
spoke thus.
Il speak TO you thus" continued
the court, because | love my coun
try and l believe it the freest and
most noble institution for the admin
istration OF government of man on
the face of the earth. You gentle
men are now on your sworn oath a
branch Of the government and II you
fail of your duty other jurors to fol-
low may feel justified in the same
lax Interpretation of the laws"
Speaking 10 the jurors in calm
and dispas sionate manner, the
charge which Judge Childress deliv.
cred was doubly impressive for this
reason. Without tressing any one
point the court called attention to
the serious situation which will face
the nation if public sentiment con
tinueS to drift in the channels II now
appears to be directed.
Il would call your attention to the
state law, which makes it unlawfl
for any person to manufacture, sell
or transport intoxicating liquor in
hn for Of I'd
Childress, going on to state that he
cited this state law because 1t covered
the situation in Minnesota without
reference to the federal law.
State Law Sufficient
4 hear some people, supposedly in
telligent. who say, Let the federal
officers enforce their own law"
continued the judge, but these peo-
pie are only showing their ignor-
must be enforced"
Carefully outlining all provisions of
the statue, Judge Chidress declared
impressively that II must be en-
forced the same as ~ other law,
for robbery, murder o. any offense
whatsoever.
You have al signifed that you are
citizens of the United States" he
said. and if you are good citizens
you believe in enforcement of the
laws. This is a serious situation
which now faces the United States,
for a disrepect of one law breeds in
time contempt for all laws"
Judge Childress then went on to-
relate how during the past week he
Dodge county In which a nineteen
year; old youth was convicted of
murder.
Contempt for Laws
That boy had seen the laws of the
country violated in his own home ever
since he was child" stated the
Judge. "He came to disregard all
Of his days in the penitentiary. He
is not nearly so much to blame as his
parents who, by disregarding one law
set an example which bred in that
boy contempt for all law and au-
thority"
Closing his charge regarding the
liquor situation Judge Childress de-
clared it was not for the public 70
question the advisability of any law
He said they wers placed there, thu
liquor laws included, by the legisla-
ture and that once law 1t became
the duty Of every loyal citizen to see
them enforced to the letter.
Touches Other Points
Judge Childress also touched on 9th
er points concerning law enforcement
Pointing to the many offenses with
which the grand jury should be ia
miliar and which might come to their
attention, the court cited particularly
the laws relating to abandonment of
children by the head Of family.
I'VE often hear Of a father going
away and leaving his wife and de-
pendent minor children" stated the
court, when divorce case comes up.
However no charge has ever been pre-
ferred against the man in many OF
these cases. Such abandonment of
children is contrary to the statutes
of the state
81 think IL few of these men
would be indicted and sent to the pen.
itentiary for their offenses il would
serve as an excellent lesson for 9th
ers."
Lottery Law Cited
Particular stress was laid upon
or raffles Of anv kind. Judge Chill,
dress declared that the laws were
very strict on this matter and that
II was a penitentiary offense to sell
, tickets to any rattle or lottery. He
said that since the last grand jury
met he had beard rumors of lotteries
that were carried on in the county
and he urged the grand jury to make
thorough investigation Of such mat
:ers
Judge Childress also declared that
he had received an anonymous letter
rom woman IN Faribau1t who claim.
ed her husband lost all his money
rambling in the soft drink parlors OF
the city Gambling. the court point
ed out. Is strictly against the law and
he urged the grand jury to look into
this matter also,
Will Give Free Concerts
Redwing. November 15.-Tle Red
Wing Community orchestra. with a