The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-03
SATURDAY

a man takes It himself as it does when he takes
II from the hands Of some oae else, Il Is
hard 70 see how any SET OF experts could give
an opinion one way o. the oher without ex-
eeeding their duty. Il seems, therefore, that
the problem Of bow Trumpy met With his death
must remain an indeiermnate one no test exists
Dy which the impOssibility Of either explanation
ol lhe circumstances can be really demonstrated
Under these circumstances the verdict Of acquit al
was no doubt correct. The most .uriOls part Of
The tfial 90 an English reader was 'he method Of
administering the oath. The wi nesscs spoke in
the iirSt instance, without any oath at all; bat Il
their testimony was considered at all important,
they were afterwards called upon 70 take one OF
tremendous rigOr, the importance OF which was
culul ced in sort Of preliminary hOmily, CalCu-
lated 60 make their hair stand on an end. II
they swore falsely they were despis ne heaven and
bell they would be given mp now and forever TO
the divine wrath they would suffer In body and
mind, In hOuso and family they we're to expect
from God nothing but disgrace and malelcton
they were reminded that God possesses infinite
knuwcdLC, and would punish the sin Of perjury
through time and eternity with tUr and terror,
and trgNuul ag0nies-with many other CJns'-
QuCnCCs unnecessary 90 mention AFTER this. The
theory that people can be scared into speaking
the ruth is hardly sound one. 4 man who has
made mp bis mind % Tic away another mans lire
Il nos likely TO swallow the camel aud strain nc
the guat 3 If he has told his nlsshOOd be will
hardly STOP az turning it into perjury. The num-
her Of criminals, moreover who will De stopped
hy th5 meshts OF this net, at.er passing through
all other restraints OF conscience, mus be small
indeed when we consider that they must be men
who, after giving false evidence, will De not
merely shocked nc the prospect Of perjury, but so
much shocked rs 10 confess themselves false wit.
nCssCs in open court. The oath, however, sccns
O. have produced strong effect upon the imngi-
nation Of the audience. They all rose up, We are
informed, in solemn silence, and galci breath
lotsy upon the witness. In one case, the press are
induced the witness 10 make a slight addition 20
her evidence, to the effect that she had observed
some ill-ieellng between the Doctor and Trumpv.
After IL had been administered o. few times, this
eNuDeTaut display of cursng would probably be-
come less impressive. Il sounds rather like
quaint relic OF some haltObsolet5 machinery for
mental torture than a genuine modern practice.
In other respects the trial seems 20 have been
conducted with singular fairness. The intorr0.
CATION Of the two prisoners forms 4 Characteristic
part, that OF Dcmme lasting for Two or three days.
bullying and brow beating which often offend Us
in rGpOrs OF French trials. Tnc counsel for the
defense even took the president sharply % task
on one occasion Tor not having eN mined Demm1
in logical order, as i might tend % confuse him.
The next day the president was warned that As
Madame lrumpy was in delicate health, nc must
be specially careful iu his examination. From
the reports, he appears 10 have taken this advice
IN good part, and 20 have behaved with strict
impartlahty. When the interrogation of the
accused is carried on in this spii-, iJ mAnifcstly
gives an advantage to an inneg snJ man. DemmC
had every Oppol tuui,y OF explaining his conduct
during Itumpy's last Illness, and, as the Clsc
turned 50 much upon points only within Demmo'j
knowledge the opportunity Wa. specially yilI-
able