Fines and Sentences in Durham Court, May 27, 1925

Hays Can’t Pay Another’s Tax. . . I.I. Coaker Is Given Two Sentences of 30 Days Each on Failure to Pay $5 Fines

It’s tough luck when a fellow keeps a friend’s dog while the rend is spending a term on the roads and then has go to jail because of the lack of enough money to pay the tax on the friend’s dog. That is the condition Jim Hays, colored, found himself I this morning when he was tried in recorder’s court on the charge of failing to pay dog tax. Jim said the dog was not his but another fellow’s who had roomed at his house before the fellow was sent to the roads. It was explained to him that the tax on the dog would have to be paid because it stayed at his house. Jim didn’t have enough money to pay the tax and costs, and he went up to the guardhouse until it could be arranged.

--For the second time George Howard was called out and failed to answer to a charge of failing to pay his dog tax.

--J.I. Coaker was given two sentences of 30 days each, in the workhouse in exchange for two fines of $5 and costs each, which were imposed Tuesday morning on charges of drunkenness and illegal possession of whiskey. Coaker rode into trouble on a local train arriving here yesterday morning. The officials were called to the station to take him from the coach because of his condition.

--Three were four charges against G.H. Scoggins, three of which he plead guilty to and not guilty to the other charge. He was fined $5 and costs on a charge of carrying a concealed weapon, the charge to which he plead not guilty. The court ruled that the pocket knife he was carrying was too long. Judgement was suspended upon payment of the costs and the sum of $4 to the Durham Public Service company for injury done to a safety post. A fine of $10 and costs was imposed for illegal possession [of alcohol], and he was fined $50 and costs for driving while intoxicated. In addition, he was given a sentence of 30 days in jail with capias to issue at any time within six months if he drives a car within that time. The automobile he was driving at the time he was arrested last night was ordered confiscated and sold according to process of law.

From page 2 of the Durham Sun, May 27, 1925

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