Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-08-19

der for many weeks, and that his
former experience and position enabled
him to plan it with ease and execute it
with fiendish GOODNESS. He was person.
ally known TO the victim. He could
enter the office after business hours,
could be clOseted with the banker with
out being suspected, and could leave.
without attracting attention. 1t is only
fair to say, howeveI, that as much might
be asserted Of any other friend or even
intimate acquaintance of the murdered
man.
The peculiar interest of this trial arises
from the social and official standing of
the accused. A sub-inspector of con-
stabulary in Ireland is a gentleman by
birth and position. He mixes on terms
of equality with the county familiesi
and, though his pay IS not large, he is
as readily received in society as the en-
sign or lieutenant of a marching regi-
ment. He wears a smart uniform, is
employed in a semi-military force, and
must be an educated man. The concep-
ton of such a crime by such a person is
| rare in most countries-very rare in Ire
land; and the antecedent improbability
must be allowed in favor Of the theory
of Mr.. Montgomery's innocence. There
have been so many asSaSSinatiOns for
agrarian causes in Ireland that W. hardly
ever recognize how ~infrequent are Ordi-
nary murders. Comparatively few in
stances have occurred arising from do
nestle strife, or from mere lust of gold.
1t is strange enough that this crime,
| among the most remarkable known in
the country for years, should be attrib-
uted to a member of the one force that
reflects the greatest credit on the Irish
race. There is nothing of which our
Celtic cOuntrymen may be so justly
proud as the Royal Irish C~Onstabulary,
to which Sub-Inspector Montgomery
belonged. The private COnstables are
all of the peasant class, but faithful to
their salt and superior to the faintest
suspicion of mutiny. They are Roman
Catholics, and exposed, like others of
their creed, to the influence of priests;
vet we have never had the least
difficulty on that score. Their
bravery has been proved, not only
at the time of the paltry- Fenian
revolt, but in many a personal encoun-
ter, when at fairs and markets and on
lonely hill-sides they faced serious perils
and great odds, and came off with sue
cess. Everybody must regret the incl
iental association-even though it does
not extend beyond bare suspieioR-of
such a body of men with n of the foul
est crimes in our modern records. This
midday murder suggests many others
which ended in the impunity of the
criminal; and the case of MI. Little,
some years ago, in Dublin, has been men
toned as one in point. That event was
marvelOusly like the NewtOn-Stewart
outrage. The victim was a cashier, the
motive robbery, the scene a railway sta
ton, after office hours, and 1t was evil
dent that the criminalwas one %acquaint-
Ell with the place and the habits of the
clerks. The person charged in that case
was acquitted, the only witness against
him being his wife, whose evidence
could not be received; but. nobody had
any moral doubt Of his guilt. Had the
police Immediately examined all the
men employed at the terminus, they
would have detected this very individ-
ual; but they omitted the ~precaution,
and were afterward indebted to his wife
for an useless disclosure. In all such
cases prompt and separate examination
of everybody connected, however. re-
motely, with the premises is the first
duty of the police. 1t was Mr.. Mont
gomery's omission to make such inqui-
ries. that first turned suspicion on
himself. But, after all, if every
Inspector or Sub-InspectOr of Po-
lice who Closes his headn when
confronted suddenly with the facts
of a horrible homicide, is to be sus-
pected of the murder himself, we fear
that the number of accused policemen
will be greatly increased. AS this man
Unfortunate in any case-is to be
tried again, it is only fair to recall every
that bears on the possibility of his
innocence. In Ireland there has been.
we regret to observe, much ~partisanship
about the Casa painful characteristic
Of public opinion there-nOt now noticed
for the first time.