What a ludicrous display the Chicago police made on this occasion!

The jury trial against Arturo Caroti was scheduled for Wednesday, August 26. He was indicted for "blocking traffic," for "loafing on a street corner," and for "resisting an officer in discharge of his duty"!

On August 26 the editor of this newspaper arrived in court, accompanied by a formidable array of witnesses and by Mr. Murphy, the Herculean attorney for the defense.

The two policemen who had made the arrest were present, and they appeared to be somewhat worried.

The defendant, his lawyer, and his witnesses yawned all morning, although they did so with the utmost politeness. After lunch they returned to the court room, hoping that the trial would soon be called.

As soon as the State's attorney caught sight of his fellow lawyer Murphy, he approached him with honeyed smiles and words and asked for the particulars of the arrest. When he had been informed how things stood, he called the policemen and asked them why they had arrested Caroti.

One of the policemen tried to talk, but he did not succeed. The other, with a shaky voice, said that they had made the arrest on the assumption that Caroti's permit was void.

"But did the defendant offer resistance?" the State's attorney asked.

"No," the policeman replied, trembling.

"Why then are you accusing him?"

The two policemen gazed at each other and shrugged their shoulders.

"Do you sustain the accusation of resistance?" further asked the State's attorney.

"No, no."

"Then the accusation of blocking traffic is void, since the defendant was provided with a valid permit."

"Surely."

The State's attorney turned to Attorney Murphy and said: "I withdraw both indictments."

Attorney Murphy then addressed the policemen and warned them that the next time that such an incident happened, he would sue for damages and costs.