Gossip Friday: A Fine for Clark

From April 1959:

One rainy, stormy day in Pima, Arizona, a trailer-truck looked out of the midst and headed directly for an approaching car. The driver reacted swiftly, cutting his wheels to the right. With a sudden screech of brakes, both vehicles halted. 

Clark Gable emerged from his auto unhurt. A patrolman arrived, and finding both men all right, started to write out a ticket for Gable, charging him with ‘illegal passing.’ Clark grumbled something and got back into his car.

On the day of the hearing, crowds of newsmen gathered at the courtroom. “Hey,” shouted one, “bet you Gable doesn’t even come himself!”

“Yes,” agreed another, “he’ll probably send some long-winded attorney.”

Moments later, Clark Gable stepped from a taxi at the door of the courthouse. He was alone. He made his way up to the door. 

The judge entered the courtroom. Clark was called to the stand. “I don’t need a lawyer,” he explained. “The accident was my fault. I want to plead guilty to the charge.”

“Since you’re so honest about it, Mr. Gable,”said the judge, :the court will fine you the legal minimum–twenty-five dollars, or twenty-five days in jail.”

In the midst of Gable’s paying the fine, a bailiff burst into the room, and blurted out, “There’s maybe two thousand women out there, all screechin’ their heads off fer a look at that Gable feller…”

The judge cleared his throat and addressed Clark,”Since you managed to survive the automobile accident with no injuries,” he said, “I see no point in putting your life in danger now. I hereby sentence you to remain my chambers until everything quiets down.” Then he winked, “I guess you’ll have to take a jail sentence, after all!”