MOSE AND THE LAW.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 94, 20 April 1912, Page 13

MOSE AND THE LAW.

Bozeman Bulger, a baseball writer, says that in his home town, down in southern Alabama, a darky was brought into court to answer a charge of mur- 1 der. ' "Mos© Tupper," said the judge, contemplating the prisoner over his spec taclee, "you are accused here of one of the most serious crimes known to our laws — to wit, the taking of a human, life. Are you properly represented by counsel?" "No, Buh," said the darky cheerfully. "Well, have yo.u talked to any one about your defence einoe your arrest??" "I told the sheriff about the shootin* when he come to my cabin to fetch me heah," said the prisoner — "bute tha's all." . ' "And have you taken no 6teps whatever to engage a lawyer?" "No, suh," Baid Mose. "I ain't got no money to be wastin' on lawyers. Dey tell me lawyers is mighty costive." "If you have no funds," insisted the judge, "it lies within the power of the Court to appoint an attorney to defend you without charge." "You needn't be botherin' yo'self, jedge," answered Mose. "Well, what do you propose to do about this case?" demanded his Honur. "Jedge, 1 said, the negro, "ez fur ez Ise concerned you kin jes let de matter drap !" MONSTROUS SENTENCE. THIRTY YEARS FOR STEALING STICKPINS. The whole nation seems to be interested in the Brandt case that is ndw agitating New York. This unfortunate man has been in prison for three years, but it seems that not until now has the public awakened to the enormity of a sentence of thirty years for the offense of stealing a couple of stickpins. Indeed Brandt's case might never have been heard of at all but for some of the disclosures that have attended his application for a pardon. It seems that one of the policemen who swore to the prisoner's bad record has confessed to the grand jury that he knew nothing at all about his record and that his evidence was supplied to him ready made by his superior officers. From the fact that ne fainted as he made this confession we may suppose that at last he was speaking the truth, prompted by a somewhat sluggish conscience. Now Brandt may be innocent or he may be guilty, but there can be no two opinions about such a savage sentence as thirty years' imprisonment or about the abominable means adopted to aggravate his offense. It is to be feared (remarks the Argonaut) that police evidence of this Kind is often a matter of routine, and that when testimony is needed for the conviction of friendless prisoners it can usually be secured. But when police perjury of this kind can be proved as in the present case it should be followed by 'a retribution severe enough to act as a deterrent.

Mrs. Florence Barclay, author of " Tho Rosary," is not letting the literary grass grow unrl«- her feet. Another of her btcu'Jes i& announced for publication by Putnam. li> ii, caled "Through the Postern Gale," and is a " Kunanco in be veil day*." A \onng man, full of tho lire of jouth, i 6 "hciv, and a perfectly chai niing v, on) a. a is heroine , und all cuds hapgilv,, • " -