Transatlantic Law And Justice.

worthy of note and emulation . They are marked by much clearness of decision , energy of action , and forcible good sense ! The next case was John H . Nelson , at least that was the name he gave . He recorded himself as a horse doctor . He was a jaunty little

fellow , with long outstretched mutton-chop whiskers , a faultless shirt , small California diamonds , and silver horse-shoe in his cravat . " Well , " said the Superintendent , looking up in surprise at Nelson , " I am astonished to see you here ; I thought you were in Sing Sing , and I can ' t think how vou condescended to take such

a paltry sum as that : The amount was not mentioned . Nelson said he had been out of prison three months , and in his possession was found a bag of bogus twenty-dollar gold pieces and bogus sovereigns . '' You don ' t think , Super ., " said Nelson ,

twirling his hat , " that I would be mean enough to take a ' trick ' as small as that ? It don ' t pay . Ihesehooziors , when they get stuck , stick on to the city like a porous plaster . For no other reason you may be assured than to save going to ' quod' for such a small' trick ' like that , would I do it . "

" I don ' t believe you , " , ' said Superintendent Walling , " you would steal anything , from a tenpenny nail to an anchor . " " No , no sir ; you do me injustice , " said Nelson . "" Believe me whether you will or not

it was only last week I beat a flat out of 30 dollars . I learned it was all that he had , and he had a family , and he had no way to get out of the city to join it . I could not bear it . 1 followed him a block and forced the money back on him . "

" That will do , " said the Superintendent , interrupting him . " Mr . Nelson , there is no use in playing the confidence game here . Officer , take him back . "

Surely the following is very striking ? A ship sneak was the next culprit brought up . He gave the name of Arthur J . King . He was a man about forty years of age , and was " a man of silence . " There was a very ordinary

appearance about this fellow , nothing to excite suspicion or attract attention . His " racket , " as the police call it , is to board an out-going steamer with valise in hind as a passenger , and in the confusion " go through " the state-rooms .

"You are here again , said the Supenntencent . " You brought me , " was the laconic reply . ' Can ' t you keep off" the docks ? " " You can , I suppose , " was the curt rejoinder . " You are healthy enough and strong enough

to work ; ain ' t you ashamed to steal ?" " Is there an honest man living ?" " Well , all that is honest about you is your opinions , " said the Superintendent , laughing .

" Well , that is something . Give me a sinecure of 5 , 000 dollars a year , and you will see a reformed man . " " I can ' t do it at that rate . All we can do is tire you into honesty , that we can do . "

" Well , try it , " said King , in a low tone to himself . " Take him back , officer , " said the Superintendent . " And get the several victims in these cases , Mr . Warlow , and see if they can ' t be identified . "

What 3 sensible Superintendent does the following anecdote reveal to us ? The next fellow brought in was on the charge of snatching a watch on the cars . There was the thief , the stolen property , but no complainant to prosecute . The complainant had not reported

his loss at headquarters , and of course they did not know where to find him , but expected that he would make his appearance at the office during the day . It appears that the officer heard the cry of stop thief from the car , pursued the thief , and finally arrested him , but the complainant did not follow up the pursuit , and there was now no

accuser . " Back again , Mike , " was the salutation of the Superintendent . " Take him back and lock him ui ) , the loser of that watch will be here during

the day . ' " Sir , " said the p ickpocket , drawing himself up to his full height . " I demand my rights ; I ask to be taken right oft" before a police magistrate . "

Transatlantic Law And Justice.

" But there is no complainant , " said the Superintendent , smilingly . " D ' yer think I wants to wait for ' em ? " said the thief . "But we want to oblige the gentleman that lost his watch , and give it back to him ?"

' What isn ' t his , isn ' t hizen , is it ? " said the thief . " Possession ' s nine pints o' the law . That ticker is mine . I ' m entitled to be taken before a magistrate within twenty-four hours , so the justices say , now see if yere don ' t ! It ' s loo

costly paying Bill Owe to get a habeas corpus when the thing ain ' t needed . " " Take him back , officer , " said the Superintendent . " Possession is nine points of the law , and we have you now ; when we get the owner of the watch others will take you in charge . "

We hope our readers are pleased with these reports and decisions ; if they are , we may , on some future occasion give them a few more specimens equally interesting , and equall y just We must conclude with thc " dictum " of a

judge " out west , " which so long as it is abided by , must render any attempt to shake the Constitution of Ihe United States utterly hopeless , come from what quarter it may . It appears that he once ordered a witness to

" come up and be sworn . He was informed that the person was deaf and dumb . " I don ' t care , " said the Judge , compassionately , " whether he is or not . Here is the Constitution of the United States before me . It guarantees to every

man the right of speech , and so long as I have tbe honour of a seat on this bench , it shall not be violated or invaded . What the Constitution sruarantees to a man . I ' m bound he shall have . "

Something like the judge m Iowa , who declared that " courting was a necessity , and ought not to be interfered with , " we feel great admiration for this maintenance of constitutional principles on all occasions .

Whether the cases we have thus carefully extracted from " our own repotter ' s notes , " from such papers , for instance , as the New York Dispatch , are actual copies of the

court records we do not feel sufficiently well posted up to say , but if they are , they reflect the highest credit on the practical equity and common sense of the Transatlantic administration of the law and of justice .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

lWe Jo not hold ourselves responsible fori or even as approving of tile opinions expressed by onr correspondents , lint we wish , in a spirit of fair play to ail , to permit—within certain necessary ilinits—free discussion . —liu . l

MIL 1 IECKETI 10 RN . To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Who is Mr . 1 Ieckethorn ? Is anything known of his antecedents ? I have read his last work , and to me it smacks strongly of the Ultramontane , or Jesuit school . Is this libeller of freemasons a Jesuit ? ¦ I am , yours fraternally , Ni :. \ io .

BRO . C . J . BURGESS . To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Will the Earl of Limerick , or the Rev . G . R . Portal , or some other authorised official of the Mark Degree of freemasonry , inform me , through the medium of

the Frirmasun , whether the report which has reached me from a private source is true , namely , that I hive been expelled from the Mark degree ? And if it be true , will the same authority , also in the same manner , inform me specifically what is the Masonic offence with which I stand of 1

charged , which rentiers me unfit for the society 'reemasons , who is my accuser , antl why I have not been brought face to face with him ? Faithfully yours , ClIAS . J . Bl'IKil'SS . 12 th June , 1875 .

MASONIC MEDALS AND TOKEN'S . Tn ( lie Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir ami Brother , — In to-day ' s—or rather , I should say , yesterday ' s i '/ vf-Mi-smi . there U a uole from Bro . Hughan respecting " Masonic medals anil tokens , " and mentions especially

the one struck commemorative of the installation of ll . R . ll . the Prince of Wales as M . W . G . M . in 170 , 0 . I have seen one frequently—I saw it this morning , for the last time , hanging from the watch chain of a brother here in the town . At first 1 took to be gold , but have found

out since that it is only copper gilt : antl , on inquiry last week , was told I could have one done the same , and the corrosion removed , for the magnificent sum of three shillings and sixpence ! Yours fraternally , J ^ A . H AYES ,

Original Correspondence.

To the Editor if the Freemason . Dear Sir antl Brother , — I have observed in last week ' s Freemason a note from our Brother Wm . Jas . Hughan , respecting an old Masonic token in copper , which is certainly very uncommon , and very little known . I have one precisely similar , and it was attached to my watch-chain , on the occasion of

I-I . h . H . 's installation , on the 28 th of April last . I have hatl it in my possession for a great number of years , and by some chance it unexpectedl y turned up just at the appropriate time , previous to the G . M ' s . installation . As far as I can recollect , it was given to me by an old and valued brother of the Order in Dublin , with various other Masonic coins or tokens , and it must have been at least twelve or

fourteen years ago . On the rim is very distinctly inscribed " Masonic halfpenny token , " but the remainder is indistinct . I value it very much , and until now did not know there was another of the same sort . FIIAS . BUIIDETT , Prov . G . M , Middlesex , Ancaster House , Richmond Hill , June 15 th , 1875 .

THE PRINCE OF WALES'S INSTALLATION AND COMMEMORATIVE JEWEL . To the Editor if the Freemason . Dear Sir antl Brother , — I enclose sketch ofa jewel commemorative of the Installation of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales as M . W . Grantl Master , which has been forwarded to the

lodges in the province of Worcester . As no jewel can legally be worn which has not received the sanction of H . R . II . the Grand Mastei , I wrote to the Grand Secretary requesting to be informed whether such jewel had been so sanctioned , ' . as I was desirous that the brethren of this province should not be misled into purchasing a jewel which , if unauthorised , they would

certainty not be permitted to wear in any lodge in this province . I enclose copy of the Grand Secretary's reply , which I wiU thank you to insert in your next issue . Yours fraternally , . W . BIIISTOW , Jus . P . P . S . G . W . Prov . G . Sec . of Worcestershire .

[ Coi-v . ] Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C , Sth June , 187 .. Dear Sir anil Brother , — No such jewel as that advertised by Bro . ¦ will be allowed to be worn by the members of the Craft .

1 hc only jewel , in reference to the Installation on the 28 th April , which has been sanctioned by the M . W . G . M ., is thc one to be worn hy the special Stewards who were appointed to assist on that occasion . Yours truly and fraternally , ( Signed ) , Jons HEBVEY , G . S . Bro . W . Bristow , Jun ., Prov . G . Sec . Worcestershire .

The following is extracted from the circular referred to : — "The brethren present at the Installation of H . R . H . thc Prince of Wales being impressed with the grandeur of the ceremony , many have desired to possess a jewel in commemoration of thc occasion . This has induced to design the jewel as per sketch .

" t he well known plumes connect it with the event , and on the centre bar are introduced the words which are the watchwords of the Order— ' Loyalty , Charity . ' ( I ule the speech of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales . ) The letters being in white enamel will , combined with the sky blue ribbon , form the Masonic charity colours—blue and white . Onthe reverse of the jewel is the inscription— ' H . R . I I . Prince of

Wales , installed Most Worshipful Grand Master , 28 th April , 1875 . ' The emblem in centre of star will be made to suit a W . M ., P . M ., Warden , or Master Mason , as desired . Jewel is size of engraving . " Price : well gilt , 25 s ; treble gilt with 18-carat gold Masonic emblem , ,- | OS \ Hall marked silver , ditto , ditto , 41 s . Cheques crossed ' Union of London . ' P . O . Orders , General Post Ofiice . "

ELECTION OK PROV . G . MASTERS . To Ihe Editor of the I '' rccmason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Our Grand Master is elected yearly by the members of the G . Lodge -. in private lodges the W . M . is elected yearly by the members of each lodge -, and I want to know why Prov . G . M ' s . arc not elected yearly as well ? This is one of those things Lord Dundreary would say , " No fella can

understand . " Can any brother tell me the reason why ? Yours , very fraternally , AN OLD MASON . [ The Old Mason , begging his pardon , has not carefully read the Book of Constitutions . The Prov . Grand Masters are only emanations from , and representatives and nominees of the Grand Master . The Prov . Grand Lodge has no independent existence like the Grand Lodge , but is dependant on the life and good-will of the Prov . Grantl Master . —ED . ]

AN IMPOSTOR . To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I think it right and proper to inform you , and through you the Craft in general , that a dark-skinned individual , about forty-five to fifty years of age , with slightly greyish hair antl grey beard , and evidently having negro blood in

him * , dressed in cloth cap , darkish brown coat , and shoes with several slits with a knife in the uppers , and calling himself George Washington Stanley , is going about begging , under thc guise of being a Mason . He says he hails from No . 11 , St . John ' s , Mother Virginia , United States . He has got hold of something , and has managed to impose on several brethren here through the carelessness