Today in San Francisco History - "Small Boy Defends Himself"

Timecapsule: January 14, 1899

In this San Francisco Chronicle story from 1899, a North Beach street urchin defends himself in court. No, we don't know why he was allowed to act as his own lawyer -- or for that matter, why a six-year old was arrested in the first place! It's just another peep-hole into life during the Gilded Age:

Small Boy Defends Himself
John Manuel Parodi, Aged Six, Makes His Legal Debut.

John Manuel Parodi, aged six years, successfully defended himself yesterday in Judge Treadwell's court, where he was on trial for the alleged theft of a box of cigars from the store of Carlos Sobrano on Prescott place, near Vallejo street. Sobrano testified that he missed the cigars a moment after young Parodi left his store about 7 o'clock last Sunday evening.

"I'd like to ask him something" piped the boy defendant in a small treble voice, after Sobrano had told his story.

"Haven't you a lawyer, my boy?" asked the Court, leaning over the bench to get a better view of the tiny prisoner.

"No sir," said John Manuel Parodi. "I think I can acquit the case myself."

"All right; take the witness," said Judge Treadwell, with a poorly concealed smile.

"Did you see me take your cigars, mister?" queried Parodi.

"No, I did not." answered Sobrano.

"Then you don't know I took 'em. Don't you know, mister, that you sold a package of cigarettes to me which is against the law, and then you come and say I stole your cigars. You're all right, you are."

Sobrano was excused, and Giovanni Cerino, a larger boy than the defendant, took the stand. Cerino said he saw Parodi leaving the store with a box of cigars under his arm.

"Where were you then?" inquired the amateur attorney.

"On the opposite side of the street," replied the witness.