The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1922-08-18
Way THEY DO IT
ACROSS THE LINE
Where Convicted Criminals do Not
Escape Justice Through Tech.
nicalities of the Law.

Provincial Constable Lakeland was
In the Gazette office Friday last and
| reported the result of the late arrest
| Of Illicit liquor dealers between the
line and Penticton, showing how JUS
| tice hits on six cylinders over in Brit
ish Columbia Tuesday the arrests
were made and on the next day most
science Such thing could not hap
pen on this side of the line, and that Is
what makes courts In the United
State comedies. Here some slick law
yer can go into court and secure con-
tinuances and postponements indefi-
nately, or beat the course Of justice
through some of the technicalities of
the law, and the guilty too often 60
unwhipped Of justice. In British Co.
lumbia it is different and most JOY
ously and praisworthy different II
man commits an offense over there
and the evidence is sufficient to convict
he gets what is coming to him, and
what Is coming to him is usually
sentence such as will make him re-
spect the law after having served the
sentence.
But that is drifting. We have Mr..
Lakeland's report on what they did
for those who was arrested in the late
raid. j. T. Murphy, proprietor of the
joint on Osoyoos lake at the line. six
months Imprisonment. John Desrosiers
the same dose. Mr.. Richardson. ditto.
Mr.. Clautnton was released on $4,000
bond and his trial was set for this
week. Louis Provo remained in GUS
tody until this week. J. R. Robinson
was discharged as was Mike McMann,
Of Oliver. Mr.. Nicols is out on $4,000
bonds. D. S. Riordan, who 1t Is alleged
is the big fish Of the pool, was up on
three charges. He was fined 500 on
one charge and two are pending while
Mr.. Riorden is at liberty on $4,000
bond
Possibly 1t is not out Of place in this
connection to give an incident that fell
under our observation relating to
court procedure in British Columbia
as illustrative OF tle power Of the
courts over there, and how the en-
forcement of the law makes those
with an evil bent keep pretty we'll in
the straight and narrow path. Quite
number of years ago we were in Ross
land when the mines around that city
were at the apex of their producing
stage and Rossland was some lively
place. And yet, It may be added,
Isingle policeman, armed with a slender
rattan kept more perfect order than
can be seen in any city on this side
Of the line guarded by an army Of po>
licemen. One evening merry bunch Of
sports passed night in hotel room
engaged in the seductive game of po-
ker. BY some inexplainable ledgerde-
main one of the players was discov-
cred holding five aces, which Is dis
tinctly in bad taste according to the
| rules of the game, and general rough
house followed Arrests were made.
Among the sports were three Ameri-
cans. When the prisoners were ar
raigned before the judge ne ordered
the three Americans to back track
across the line. An officer escorted the
men to the railroad and tagged them
| farewell
On the evening train one Of these
and as he stepped off the train he was
recognized by the officer that had sent
him hence and was Immediately ar
| rested. He was hailed up before the
judge that had ordered him to vam-
oose. The judge sternly said did not
tell you to cross the line into the
states?" The prisoner in a most con-
temptuous tone of voice, replied: "You
did not say that l could not return"
Without batting an eye, without ex-
changing single word with the pris-
oner, the judge roared out: Mine
montls in Kamaloops," and to Kama
loops the prisoner was shipped the
next day.
Why is it that laws are better en-
forced and criminals meet with sud-
den and drastic punishment over the
line? Probably because judges over
there are appointed to serve during
good behaviour, and the appointing
power considers the eradicating of un-
desirables from the community In
which they may carry on their depre-
dations as the very acme Of good be-
haviour. Judges do not have to cringe
before loud mouthed lawyers who en-
deavor to buffalo the court. They are
not dependent upon the vote Of q
mercurial populace for their office and
must hedge and trim for the purpose
of gaining popularity with the elector-
ate Their office is life tenure so
long as they enforce the law. If the
same system was in vogue in the states
fewer guilty people would escape and
the public generally would have more
respect for the law and the courts