JUDGE AND HIS WIFE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14984, 4 May 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

JUDGE AND HIS WIFE.

• FINE FOR CONTEMPT. I 5 1

' v'J ' A CURIOUS SCENE. * Sfs Jt'DCE Beemax, who occupies a positl(«"'> : l at Sterling, Illinois, comparable to that of"? an : English stipendiary magistrate, hu j achieved national fame by fining his wife ' £5 for contempt of court, and ordered tL ■ ' bailiff to lock her up if the fine :* M nat^ ,; - paid within one hour. The judge iniM holding a court when Mrs. Bteman entered ' • the court-room and seated herself near the ■ bar to wait for the judge, who-had pro.® mined to go with her on a shopping expedi" I tion. • I '.' William Law ton, a young man of pre* if possessing appearance, was being tried for -J disorderly conduct. After hnnyiaw II through the evidence the judge fat* hi& $j £2 and cost*, and as Lawton had no ready Si cash hf was ordered to be locked xsafM That's an outrage," declared Mrs. Be* man, involuntarily. "Silence!" 'thnto,!dered the judge. Mrs. Beeman, however • refused to be silenced. Judge BeerauV - was exasperated. Furiously rapping y order, he told Mrs. Beeman to keep am#};,• % under threat of a fine. , P * 7 p With a woman's liking for the last wwdlp she continued the argument with her hiS band until the court-room was in an 3® roar. "Old buffer," "Think «2|l clever/' and "Wait till you get hotnfe". were among the exclamations -aha hurled II at her spouse. In desperation the iudarH imposed a fine of £5 for contempt of coart ■ Mrs. Beeman dared him to oolkefc fcH; Angered at , this the judge instruct £$ Bailiff hewton to take Mrs. Boeaa&.-ti ?'! charge and lock her up if the fin s was wrtf $ paid within an hour. . Mpf!! Mrs. Beeman was led from the ctmiwmw bing » hysterically. She finally draw|« hisr private bank account for the a&xxmfe of the fine, and was released from th» eta 1 tody of the bailiff. Later Judge Beemir & stated ho imposed the fine feeling thattMi was the only thing he could do if the dig, , nity of : hie court was to be - maintained" n •Mrs. Beeman was penitent, and pwntWl not to interfere in her huabaaa'a affairs again. - . . ■ ' • ' -."'vcSM