A National Program to Develop Probation and Parole

Legal biographers still debate whether Mr. Justice Holmes was a great liberal or a greater conservative; but all are agreed upon his greatness.He had an influence upon the lives and thoughts of his pr6fessional brethren, moreover, that is seldom mentioned.I refer, of course, to his habit of reading detective stories.Ever since this foible of the great man became known, our leading lawyers everywhere let it be whispered of them that they seek like relaxation from their burdensome cares.As for judges, every judge who indulges the fantasy that some day a quirk of fate will reward his exceptional merits with a seat on the Supreme Court-and which of us has not secretly dreamed this dream?-admitsshyly that while he prefers biography, or economics, or a bit of Greek philosophy, nevertheless he does like a good detective story.Now I rise to voice a personal disclaimer.Whatever the effect upon my career, regardless of your judgment upon me, heedless of your disfavor, quite recklessly, I announce that I do not read detective stories.I don't read them because I don't like themand if this be t-eason, make the most of it!So now, having made my confession I think I'll tell you a detective story.It is a true story and it has a moral.Everything about it is true except the names of the prisoners.A Victorian delicacy leads me to disguise these; a proper pride might cause me to suppress my own connection with it-for certainly I am not the hero of the tale.Let me first set the stage.TIME: the present.PLACE: the Criminal Court of Baltimorebut it might be the criminal court of almost d

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