The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-02-05

ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN NEW
YoRK-STooL-PIGEoH BUSINESS recent trial
OF Drury, for an attempt at the life of Thomas
Warner, and the numerous police examinations OF
Arlington Bennett, Drury, and other partles charged
with offences of various grades, begin TO throw a
great deal OF curious light over the construction
and management of CRIMINAL justice in New York,
aud the mode IN which judges, jurors, district
attorneys, and lawyers, are made to dance like the
famous automata of Maelzel, when the strings
are pulled by certain wire-puers and stooLpigeons
behind the scenes. For the last twenty-five years
there has not been criminal trial exhibiting such
liughabe, contemplate, extraordinary, and de-
porable features, as that which has recently passed
before IN the trial of Drury. Ii beats the Old
Bailey of Old England all To pieces.
1t seems there has been forming in this city, for
some years past, coterie of thieves, burglars,
reporters, editors, judges, and jurors, for the
press purpose Of making the solemn and deliberate
administration of the criminal laws as laughable
and ridiculous the farces sometimes got up the
Chambers Street Theatre, by Burton, or at the
Olympic Theatre, in Broadway, by his rival,
Mitchell. The recent trial of Drury, with its stool
pigeon preparations, exhibitions, examinations,
and other ridiculous attitudes, has cost the people
OF this city fully to the extent Of thirty thousand
dollars in money, besides the waste OF time and
fees of lawyers. All thus waste of public time and
expenditure Of public money have been caused, in
some degree, by quarrel among rogues-one set
endeavoring to crimnate the other; but where the
real guilt is the notifications OF the stool pigeon
evidence have not yet fully disclosed. Summary
and general justice, if it could be executed on all,
would probably be better made out by sending the
whole batch-accused and accusers, stool-pgeons,
and several others, on both sides-to the same
place OF expiation and repentance.
Yet, while this vast expenditure Of public money
and this great consumption Of public time are
gong on, the regular business, in relation to
criminals who are really guilty and ought to be
tried, is neglected, delayed, postponed, and not
thought of at all Mr.. District Attorney McKeon
and his associates are very busy. very quick, and
very rapid in their movements in consuming
the public time and public money in such stool
pigeon mysteries as we have just seen pass
before in the trial Of Drury. But such prompt
itude, activity, and exertion are exhibited in the
disposal of those whose indictments have been
Lying over for months aud years, and who calculate
from tins very delinquency to escape unscathed
from the punishment that might be awarded 10
them by the laws. The trial Of Drury is only oa-
Of large lot-a sample Of prodigious assortment
of such cases. Whether Drury be guilty or not
guilty, whether Warner be man Of virtue or not.
II is certain that a more suscious, dsreput ,be.
and lmpudent system Of getting up evidence, has
never yet diseraced any community or any city, ~
that which we have exemplifed in this par
ticular case Of the Drups.
Go on with the bloomsbury 10 the hot cakes
Let us have the younger Drury. Arlington Brnus'.
and all, put IN the box Employ thu lawyers On both
SIDES, and # the develop.men Of these mysteries
costs one hundred thousand dollars. who cuesl
Not the tax payers.