Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 January 1902 — A TEST OF SOBRIETY, [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A TEST OF SOBRIETY,

Original Scheme Adopted for Ganglne Capacity in Missouri. f Kansas has produced the magistrate who decides on a man’s condition of sobriety, or the reverse, by miking him walk a crack Cape Girardeau, Mo., has done better and produced a flight of stepping stones along which Supposedly intoxicated persons must walk to injure their freedom from incarceration. “Coon Hollow” is a bit of low ground lying south of the Court House at Cape Girardeau. Beyond it live the poorer ( darkies and the less useful portions of the local population. The hollow is something of a sink hole, and in times of heavy rains becomes considerable of a. morass. To the Inhabitants of the transhollow region the stepping stones across have always been a source of trouble. They were so necessary that their removal has never been seriously considered, for without them any man who attempted to walk through the hollow In the mud would probably stick fast till help came. Even with them there enough of tlie inhabitants fall off in

the mud and have only the Stones to cling to foi safety. Charlie Armgafd is town marshal of Cape Girardeau. He has many a bit of trouble With the settlers beyond the stepping stones, and has ofen debated with himself whether or not to “run in” some of them who see'med to have bad a drink too much. One night he was escorting home one who pretended he was sober They reached the stepping stones all right, but there the assistee’s trouble began. H.p could go a couple of steps and then lie would miss, sway off and pitch into the mire. Marshal Armgard’s patience was soon exhausted. After the fourth of fifth attempt he hauled his prisoner away to jail. That was how he got the idea. Now when he has a questionable prisoner from beyond Coon Hollow be takes him forthwith to the stepping stones, stands him on the first block, and sits down on the bank to watch him go home. If the suspect goes steadily across the line he Is all right and can stay on other side. If he wavers a little, and still keeps on the stones, be Is all right. But If he staggers and plunges off, If he misjudges the distance between his foot and the stones and falls or trips—woe to him, for the marshal comes after him and leads him back to the lock-up.