Judge Fenty


Judge Fenty

Return to Inmates

In my daily routine in delivering milk to the prison, and in peddling papers with my newspaper route, Bill perhaps had more contact with prisoners than the average youngster. There was a prisoner in the Captain's office who would help me mark the papers for some of the guards and place them in their mailbox. He was called Judge.

Judge Fenty was a handsome fellow of middle age, and a friendly sort. One day I asked him how he got the nickname of Judge. He told me that when he was brought before the judge in court, the judge asked him if he had a trade or profession. Fenty replied, "Yes, your honor, I have." "Tell me," said the judge, "what is your profession?" "I am a judge, your honor," said Fenty. The judge asked indignantly, "Pray, what are you a judge of?" Fenty replied, "I am a darned good judge of whiskey." Judge Fenty told me that the judge was indignant at his insolence and added two years to his sentence for this contempt of court.

Author: William J. Duffy. Jr.

Return to Inmates

Last Revision March 2001