"ASSISTING" THE POLICE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 136, 9 June 1906, Page 10

"ASSISTING" THE POLICE.

Mr. William Farmer Little (says tho Weafminster Gazette) is a , Friend ' of Man (Motor Man), whose kindness of heart has got him involved in a prosecution for obstructing iho police. His mission in lifo it to prevont the unwary motorist falling into police-traps. Accordingly, ono Sunday morning we find him acting in a way thug described by a baffled policeman : About eleven o'clock, having timed several cars, witness noticed defendant step into the road and signal to the driver of a car then approaching at a fa*t /rato. In consequence tho driver Blackened his pace anct passed over tho measured distance slowly, well within the legal limit of speed. Defendant then moved to another spot, and shortly aflor etood in the road and held his hand up to another car, tho driver of which immediately reduced spaed. Defendant signalled to more cars,' and to one was heard to call out ; "Police trap !" When told he would be reported lor a summons for obstructing the police he said : "I admit it." Mr. Little- simply avowed by way of defence^ that he acted out of "sheer good nature," his counsel, indeed, pleading that his client "merely wished to 'assist the police by preventing law-breaking." Non tali auxilio would probably be the policeman's retort. The case is decidedly an interesting one, and the magistrates have decided to take nine weeks to consider their decision. One sympathises with tho policeman deprived of his haul, through no desire of the motorist to obey tho law, bnb merely as' the result of a warning that a breach of tit would iead to his being fined. Th 4 warnor, on the other hand, can make out tho most plausible of cases. "Heie," he could r& : . >..:5 a fellow-citizen about to break the law, maybe" actually, engaged m breaking it. I had only 'to raise my hand to rescue him back into the safe, if slow, bouuds of lpgality. Never shall il i>e bu l. I refused to raise a ho-ncl on heliiilf of the law and a fellow-creature." Even so we dare s^ear tho policeman would be unconvinced.