The Love Affairs of the Official Shiner
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The Love Affairs Of The Official Shiner.
Ernest Waples Gets One Year and His Troubles Get an Airing.
Ernest Waples was the centre of a comedy in the Criminal Court late yesterday afternoon, which suddenly turned to a tragedy for him. Ernest bore the rather dubious title of "Official bootblack to the City Hall." He came to Camden ten years ago, a "kid" in short pants and chocolate hued face. Rather an "innocent kid" was he, but the allurements of crap and Baxter street sassiety led him from the strict and narrow path. He had been driving for a doctor but that must have made him sick for he threw up the reins and became a bootblack. Humble as the occupation was, honors fell on him thick and fast. It was not long before he was known as the "official bootblack." The police also knew Ernest as a boy who hung around ex-Chief Dodd's office listening for tips relative to raids on policy and crap shooters. Forthwith he was banished and his descent to degradation was rapid. He became a frequenter of Baxter street dives and a character known to the police. Time and again he was arrested for scrapping and stealing. The last time previous to yesterday Judge Armstrong warned him that if he came before him again he would surely go to State prison. Yesterday the dark form of Ernest loomed up again in the dock, this time charged with three assaults on divers persons. The divers persons were Mary Douglass, a reluctant "cullud leddy," whose head Waples split open at a sociable gathering on Baxter street, Policeman Donovan, a colored cop with an Irish name, whom Ernest found no easy mark, and John Mason, a black beauty, whose face bore the dent of a brick fired by the self-same tough young gent in the dock.
Waples was in love with Julia. He denied being married to her but admitted he paid her board. Or rather she paid his. Shortly after his arrest Julia herself was jugged and the two used to send each other dime novels. In the novels they also used to send each other the most tender love messages which the jailers capped and which Assistant Prosecutor Archer produced in court yesterday, while Julia glared and Ernest snickered.
"Who gave you that mark?" asked Mr. Archer.
"Which one?" asked Julia, "dis or dat or dem dere?"
She evidently had them all labeled.
"I mean the one on your face," said Mr. Archer.
"Oh, I got dat drinking beer."
"What! do you bleed every time you drink beer?"
"Not 'less some one bangs me."
Judge Armstrong acquitted Waples of the assaults on Mary Douglass and Policeman Donovan, but convicted him on the assault on Julia Mason.
"You're a tough, bad man, your actions and appearance denote that," Judge Armstrong.
"Nothin' bad 'bout me," protested Waples.
"Silence!" roared a constable with a cavernous voice.
Judge Armstrong then sentenced Waples to one year in the State prison.
"When I get out I'll do you up," he said to Turnkey Entriken who had testified against him as he was taken back to jail. He got off lucky. Spectators expected to see him get five years.
Julia Mason's trial on the charge of assault was postponed on account of the illness of the man whom she slugged.