The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-12-12
With The
|Alibi Artists
IA Cross Section of the
Daily Grind in Judge
Schuldt's Court.
Read EN- and Weep.
KEEP n DARK"
ACT III.
The ChiIdren,a Hour.

jury trials. The court is in SEES
sion, and some two or three hun
dred spectators watch the pro-
ceedings eagerly. From the high
ceiling, the stained glass windows,
the dim, religious light, the gem
eral air of solemnity one might
imagine. himself In q holy place.
until, becoming aware Of the
large number Of lawyers present,
he would very likely form the
opposite opinion. The counsel for
the defense 10 discovered address.
ing the jury.
Counsel: This is a serious
charge against my client"
Corporation CounseI:N"1 object,
your honor. There Is no testimony
that this case h serious"
Assistant defense counsel:
(SnickeringD "Ridiculous!'
Attorney for next case (Scorn-
fully: That's childish"
Defense counsel: II merely call
attention to an accepted fact,
The court: Objection over
ruled" .
Defense counsel: my client is
q chauffeur, gentlAnnen. For
eight years he has driven a car
in the City Of Graustark, and
there is not one black mark
against his name. He has never
been convicted Of any charge In
any court in this realm. To find
him guilty in this case would be
Che faces the corporation COUNSEL,
half scornfully. half defiantly)
would be a serious-a very seri-
Gus matter to him. Gentlemen,
! do not fear to leave my clients
fate In your hands" Gle retireS
to the counsel tablet
Those Little Children.
Corporation Counsel (stationlng
himself in front Of the jury box):
II the court please-gentlemen of
the jury; My opponent is allowed
to tell you how serious this case
is to his client, and to give you
reasons why II is serious. /, then,
shall try to tell you how serious
this case 10 to my clients-the
people of the City Of GraustarI---
your fellow cit;zens-men, women
and (hc turns toward the defense
corner of the tablet children--the
little children who have been kept
out of this case so adroitly-"
Attorney for next case (sotto
yoce1: well. what the hell do you
know about that?"
!. Assistant defense counsel Gu.
gubtioCsly1. Some fox :"
Star man: That's what call
stacking the deck"
Post man: "Hot stuff, eh?"
All: Good for three hundred
words"
Corporation Counsel: Counsel
has told you that the tate Of his
client rests in your hands. No
less does the fate of my clients
and your wards-those little OnoS--
no less does their fate rest IN
your hands, and in your hearts.
That red peril, that lRw.defying,
life-threatening red roadster, may
have run amuck in the streets Of
this city as a result OF an un.
fortunate chance, or It may have
resulted from recklessneBs, or It
may have been due to sheer,
ignorant, callOus. arrogance but.
whatever may have been the
origin of this occurrence, gentle
men. it is for you to dictate the
finish" Gle returns to his seat
at the counsel tablet =
And the Jury Grinned.
The Court: "You may retire
with the case. gentlemen" CThay
file out Of the court room. The
News man follows q moment later.)
Post man Ito Star NAM: "1Iow's
it feel to be witness in o case
you're writing up?"
Star: "Once is enough. Did YOU
see how the defense tried 70
prejudice the jury against me by
asking Il was the one who was
writing those incendiary articles
on the traffic situation?"
ALI: And the Jury grinnAd when
you said you didn't claim ell the
credit. I kind Of snickered q lit.
tie, myself"
ENTER the Graustark News.
man. He Joins the group at the
press table.) 1.-THE jury's raising
Ned. They won't reach q verdict
before Christmas. / stopped to
borrow a match from the guard
outside the jury room door, and
talk about rows! One man,
with a bass voice, was blasphAm.
ing everything in general, and
another, with q squeaky voice.
was talking about incendiary ar.
ticles. Pretty conservative crowd.
I've got a dollar that says not
guilty"
Post: mot guilty means rood.
by to the speed law on 0raus-
tark avenue bridge"
HeS One Dollar Out.
Times: Until an accident like
this one happens about quarter
OF nine some morning, when the
streets full Of kids. Did YOU
hear that cop testify how he was
stationed there to look out for
school children"
ALI: Sure. But what's that
got to do with the accident?
There weren't any children
around then. were there9 You
cant hang a man for what he
The marshall: "The jury has
reached a verdict, your honor
The court: Let them come In"
(The twelve poker faced men
march in impassively, and stand
before the bench)
The clerk: what say, you,
gentlemen; do you feel the de.
PENDANT guilty or not guilty?"
All: rs that dollar still Eood?"
tNAUns. 0SnrA -