NO RED BADGE OF VIRTUE.
Color of Hair "Cuts No Ice" in Crim-
inal Case, Says Latshaw.
Red hair is not necessarily a badge of virtue. It may be as the judge of the municipal court says, that he has tried only six red haired men in four years. The others might have escaped while the fight was going on.
Records at the county jail show an average of four to five red heads behind bars all the time. A few months ago there was even a red haired negro, but he has since been released. Marshal Joel Mayes says, however, that he has never heard of a red headed man being hanged in this county. He places no credence in the "red hair for the innocent" theory.
"This court pays more attention to the color of a man's nose than to the color of his hair," said Judge Ralph S. Latshaw, of the criminal court when asked about the connection of red hair and crime.
"The color of hair and the eyes cuts no figure, so far as criminals are concerned. Neither has appearance much to do with crime. We sentence some fine looking young men to jail occasionally, after they have been convicted by juries and had every chance to make good looks count in their favor."
