Bisbee daily review., 1922-07-16
Countys Clearing House

tlOnS, the whole StOryi"
 Anybody could make that astound- ing statement, but in the case of Ben Lindsey, it is true.
 Thousands Confess
 In % years, thousands of men, women and children have come to him, confessed their guilt and told him they would take whatever pul- ishInent he pronounced.
 But they say you always find some excuse for wrongdoing," I put iE.
 Do they?" he queried, q have sent more men and women to the pcaitentiary dar:ng my years in of- flee than all he other courts in Colorado put sogetherl"
 And I guess that disposes of the charge of misplaced sentimental ity,' doesn't 1t?
 We were interrupted five times by persons in trouble.
 Katherine" came in to tell of a brutal and drunken mother. She was accompanied by probation officer, a kind-faced woman. Judge Lindsey listened patiently to the story, then said: "All right, Rather inc, we'll see that you are taken good care of and sent to school"
 Then he gave orders to have the mother brought in the next day.
 Lucy" a handsome girl, earning her own living, although only 19 came in, her eyes red with weeping "Who brought you here?" asked the judge.
 NO one, Mister Lindsey" she said "I just came because I believe you can help me, and oh, I'm in such trouble. Please don't let this get into the papers or even to my mother. It would kill her"
 don't know what that girls story was and I don't want to konw. She went outside to wait, but we were soon interrupted by Gwen dolen," a bold, handsome. laughing eyed flapper from the junior high school class.
 Aside from an unnecessary amount of lip rouge and face paint, she might have been your daughter or mine, and she might have been eny- way, I guess.
 But this girl was "fn trouble" and her mother didn't know, because she was too busy in club and social up- l lift work And so the girl had come to Ben Lindsey for advice or Ire venge," I don't know which.
 The Court of Help" And so they went on-telling their secrets and getting advice, counsel, ! help, help, help-the court Of help, that's what Judge Ben Linseys court in Denver really is. | Instead of being afraid of the law as most of us are, these people re- 1 gard the law as eXemplified in the ] person of Judge Ben Lindsey, as | friend in need, and they come to nm i voluntarily and gladly. i Some are sent to the penitentiary at Canon City, sent sometimes i alone; others are fined-he has col lected over $l2,000 in fines the past year without enc cent of costs Ills court is the only court in the country which has no costs. Of course some i lawyers don't like this and Lindsey 1 has incurred their displeasure by tell ] ing many litigants that they do not need a lawyer, but the really import ant members of the Denver bar q saw three of them) say that Lindsey IS the ! ideal man for judge in matters ot do- mestic relations and that he could not 1 be replaced.
 He has divorced thousands of cou- ples, and he says, "as 1 charge nothing | for divorces. I take no fee for mar riages. It seems to me that inasmuch as I separate 'em freely, ought to bring 'em together"
 What has been the result or this quarter century of yours in Denver! 1 asked.
 He handed me pamphlet published ! by the Woman's Non-Partisan JuVen- i ile Court Association of Denver, con taining list of 151 laws and systems inaugrated and urged by him most ot which have been written into the laws of the state of Colorado. All these laws, suggestions and sys- tems seem highly beneficial to any | community.
 | But what has been the result on crime?" 1 asked. | "The crimes against property by boys and youth have been tremendous | ly diminished, but I regret to say sex | mistakes call them what you will have increased greatly in the past few years, since the war especially" he replied.
 Future Efforts "What is the answer? I reply, l do not know The answer will come, l am sure and the world will be the bet ter for having passed through this ' time of trial Sex barriers have been broken down by the war and the world unrest. Girls do not regard sex irreS- ularities with the horror they once did. There is no gainsaying that. We, the courts and the mothers especially. must make 1t our business to teach the rising generation the inevitable re- suit of sex abnormality and irregular ities.
 We must show them that punish ment follows disobedience of natures | laws, and. above all, we must be sym pathetic and generous in our treat ment of such cases.
 We must have the confidence of young people or all is lost. for I con- not conceive that mere blind punish ment by the law, bringing shame and