South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-05-07
COURTS BULLPEN'
LIKE ST0CKYARDS,
CITY JUDGE AYERS
Alleged Cruelty to Animals, as
Claimed by Suit, is
Likened to Court.

san FRANCISCO May SIS co.
clety more impressed oy horrors I'M
posed before IT'S eyes than by the
great wrongs secretly perpetrated
every day7
Police Judge Sylvan Laza rus asks
this question IN a recently rendered
decision IN a case IN which cruelty
20 animals was alleged IN the local
"Butchertown"
Judge Lazarus IN reaching his de-
-tsion visited the stock pens and
ukened them IN his decision 20 the
"bulIpen" Of the court room
The decision. one Of the most re-
Tnarka0Ie legal documents in its
study Of human nature ever filed,
follows.
BY JUDGE SYLVAN LAZARUS
This case results from a complaint
fled against the defendant for al
legged cruelty 10 animals. such act
consisting In the confinement Of cat
tie awaiting slaughter in exposed
ard muddy corrals. located ada
cent % the slaughter house in what
T. commonly called "Butchertown"
IN this city and county
With a view toward gaining more
complete information regarding the
conditions resulting i'm this arrest.
.the Judge Of This department. in
company with the learned Judge OF
department 40 and counsel for
the prosecution and defense. visited
the scene Of the alleged mira ction
OF the law The corraIs were point
ed out being on the side OF the
long railway trestle which crosses
the Islais Creek marsh
There Is no question that the
nature Of the ground. its great de-
preston and the constant moiling OF
thousands Of cattle on the route 20
slaughter. added 70 the recent rains
had produced very miry surface con-
ditions. somewhat alleviated in
-.lces by the liberal application OF
rice husks These husks. however.
appear 10 have a tendency 20 quick
y assimilate and amalgamate them
selves IN conglOmerate mass, so
that their presence and usefulness
appear 10 be quickly lost.
To one not Ito the manner born"
Butchertown and its environs is
surely not a place OF aesthetic de
light. although a very important and
necessary adjunct to a great city
Its byways would hardly attract and
its customary activities scarcely
charm one OF delicate tastes and
perceptions. There Is nothing arts
tic or lovely about Butchertown
Visits Corral
One OF the corrals which we In
spected contained a herd or steers
shortly 10 be converted into beef
An expert vaquero, assisted by a
clever dog. lined them up before us.
They squashed through the slush Of
the corral and stood in a semicircle. /
their complacent countenances
turned IN our direction. 7 scrutin-
lied each bovine face for some ex-
preston Of sentiment. but my effort
was unrewarded Neither sorrow
misery. discomfort nor happiness
was there written. 7 felt then a cor
rect decision in this case necessita-
ted a mental condition somewhat
III sympathy with the sentiments
OF these inexpensive creatures. 7
turned 70 my friend the vaquero. He
admitted that during his long years
or acquaintance with cattle he had
been unsuccessful in finding a com
mon ground for interchange Of feel
ings But he called my attention 20
the fact that during the period OF
their confinement the penued steers
one and all chew their cud which
IS taken 20 be a bovine expression
OF health and contentment. In ad-
dition. they put on weight which
T. is assumed they would not do n
their feelings were narrowed by
their surroundings
And then 7 looked about me. and
iu the hollows and on the hIllsides I
saw human ha5ita. ions-many Of
them drab squaud homely. uncom-
Portable
Thought of Police Court
And then ] thought OF the dock OF
this police court on a busy morning
despite iron euclosure-jammed
o. it's standing capacity with a dirty
sCrdlt miserable fruitaEe OF our
streets-cre1tures in human form
! and sem5lauce standing. shaky.
quaky here for hours without food
drink o. attention I thought OF the
sociar cruelty which had brought
gre8 majority of them % this pass.
l1.eir first and worst crime generally
beinz mental inferiorlty. disease. de-
based environment and ignorance,
And I wondered 20 what extent YOU
and I were responsible for this-for
their present state and condition: IN
what respect we We're wanting IN
kindly sympathetic. useful care. at
tentIon and supervision over crea-
lures OF our own breed the deficient
boys and girls Of today the poten-
t-al criminals Of tomorrow.
And as 7 thought Of these things
also wondered whether a steak
taken from one OF these steers would
be less succulent in our mouths by
reason Of the ante-mortem neon
ven!ence suffered by the creature
whet her. IN other words. we are not
more afflicted by the horrors actual
Is imposed before our eyes than we
are by the great wrongs secretly
perpetratad every day. which 60 10
the very tissue and fabric or our So
cIaI life
1Iy whole conclusion was this:
That as pertaining 20 the instant
case. the problem was TOO big for So
luton BY a police Judge II this
thing IS A nuisance and offensive 20
human senses appropriate measures
can be taken before a higher and
more learned tribunal. capable OF
more intelligent disposition. Case
dismissed
CLEANING BRONZE
Hot soap slds are the best med
FUN for cleaning genuine bronze.
ss-.-..- r .f..4 f.A LL