Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1902 — PHONE-SWEARING A CRIME. [ARTICLE]

PHONE-SWEARING A CRIME.

Police Court Fines a Physician $5 for Such Practice. The man who loses his temper during the warm weather and who swears specifically, generally, aimlessly or even artistically through the telephone may rue his Impatience. Telephonic profanity U bad form, is a crime, will cause ■ telephone company if it hear* it or hear* of it to take legal measure* of punishing the offender and may mean money out of the pocket to the man who indulges in it. From St. Louis comes news of a police court decision fining a physician $5 for •wearing while unburdening his rniud to the telephone operator on the subject of telephone service in that city. The defendant, Dr. S. L. Getty*, was arrested and In a police court candidly admitted that he had "cussed” roundly about the telephone service, but not at the operator. He maintained that he had not disturbed the operator's peace. Judge Sidener, who heard the case, decided three points: First, that there was not sufficient provocation to profanity; second, that it is invariably aggressive and never protective and that heretofore it has never been excusable on the plea of self-defense; third, that the working principle* of law have not been invalidated by modern inventions and that the crime of hurling curses at a person over the telephone is amenable to the laws In the jurisdiction in which the offense was committed. «