, 1873-02-20
The Perteot Casa Again---Letter
From Edward Roby.
Criminal Court Procoedings...El Election Of Su.
porior Court Judges.
An Unusual set-Of Case-~-Banl1-
ruptoy Notes.

~ tho c,ao NJ An1rov T. portaot. who Ind boon
conyiotoa ~ ,nnrt1or, md changed tho venue to
xu;l1 cor,tv, apd lin man wna agajp tried upon
tbo indiotment. m thu more opinion Of q Justice
~ tho snnromo Court. and boforo tho CAUSE WAS
rem.ndai
Dnnb,,oss t,,o 1,,,h1'o dasiro to understand tue
srhiaot r1,o mou hns been twice convicted,
and thew thjn], ho ought to bo hung. No moro
tcchnIca,itv a1oull t,aralyze tho arn1 of Justice
md ma1tc It enpcar t1,nt nnnfsbmont for capital
crt,nae cannot be inflicted.
The history Of the pcrteot caso is briefly this
partcet. indicted for murder. demanded q ohanre
of vcnuo. in accordanco with his right ,1udcr tho
st,tuto Tl,o Criminal Cn,rt ref1,Rod tt,a right.
comne1lef] him to trial lore. convicted and on-
tored indonsnt against him upon tho iudict-
mont. At the close Of the torn tho power OF tho
f,oprt oyor tho Indictment oeased, 1t had no
,,ovor Int In c.,,aa erooution of tho i1frmant.
4 ,pr,t of error 9xaa nl1owed and annerae1ed
thia nowar. Tl,eroafter tho Criminal Court had
no powcr over this u,atter excopt under the COM
mand of tho Supreme Court. Tho gupremo
Court wne the onlv tribunal in tho State which
conld rovoruo tho Judgment or authorize now
trial,
The INV reouiros Tint Court boforo or at tho
timo II entoru iudrmout. to state tho roasons
unon Which It's decision is based, These reasons
aro writton out by ono OF tho Justices aud called
the opinion. Upon examination in conference
it freouentlv lappena that Bome Of tho Judges
concur in Tho result but not tho REASONS, and
thoy writo Boparato opinions: others disagroe
entirely. and thoy write dissenting opinionB.
Tho matorits of tho Court determine tic tudr.
,nont md or1or ita or;trv confirming ravere;nu or
modifvinc tho iudumont at tbo Court hollow. md
dcta,1n;nin- ti,o ro.nnor IN which +lot f,onrt
sb.11 roooed I'D ,o+ otan. - a,,.1, ta,,o T., tho
m,.s 49,. ss:',a. 49, d....s rs.ss 49,
cause ino 'aw e1'es 'no eultomo oou,s po"er
to alter It's Judgment at my titno within SIX
months, if, upon further consideration, it shall
be found to be- erroneous aud. in case any two
~ tIo Trd,o, al, ,,,1 1o1iaya oaoo o,a1,t - Ia
rehoard, thov may nta3 I'LL proceedings until
the next term Of Court. 4 majority Of tho
Judges may at any time ontor orders and judg-
monts in cases submitted to tho Court mud takon
nnder of1vaomont, '~ 'o-@
o14ao' ao't1o''ons' ...,
an opinion Stating roaaons which have lnhu-
enced ono or moro Of tho Judges is very differ
eut thing from tho Judgment Of the Court, aud
tho ordera md nroconscs nrescrbod hv the
cool1 70 carry ING 1ua5snent into e4ecs-
The Criminal Court VI Cook County had be-
fore it nothing hut certified copy Of the opin-
Ion, For authority to oct It mirht as we'll laye
had noweraner report. It could only contcc-
a no"e!apo. l'py.sI 49,. 49,, ..a ou' 'oa1o
aoro inc 1uagfnens that the supreme eoart
would enter from tho roaBons assigned, but
whether tho Supreme Court wns then engaged in
furt,or consi5erat;oa of the case. mr. when thnt
@,ourt ,vou,1 ;ssuo ia command ,oorfrin1 , H.
Criminal Court to act or what specific direc-
tons ii would give to prevent future errors, tho
Criminal Court could not know. It hna no
mower to royorso the former Judgment, or to
eaos ~ ;,,e;,. so"s -. ~ 4s 1palo1 ~
luggAeut eullty ~ tLo cIlu1es otaarsou IN tno
al tiaa s .ots';'. om aeo taootus,
uuu tuotd W. - ~ " ~; a 6tAsg lueataun
as1eu 70 tSssa W H. as Ere loseaaang Inc tst
~ ,,oaaaS ~ 49,, r. aau
ING u 10 pioGeoa u tly tho man upon tne 1na1cs
1v; ~ ~ nuu A. @ ~ aota .no an 70
ti,no m margsd IN The tudr,nsnt "ae ~ ~ tbat tat
, [ho,e %a2 o 70 oo tEea ~ a. ne prn
oouss nau ~ !"ttsoicMoa IT, .na supJsce mastnr,
M 4sia1 80 a'a ., not ~
shaI, triaI hv "a ha;1;ya 49, y o1a saa
at anon xnrict -" - ao ~ ~ Wi nuen
" ~ ~ ~ ~ -! 1 Iu ponf1o'
Unless 1auor y warranted ia co4ntnlng Ct
i5em Psace cmncoa to ho'n " ~, ns lug
%taous ~ ma'a1nt ~ e4.snt, 1;9a 1 s nnless m
ueeu W sasua d 1o mo WIT H. ~
Teeq1a1lty, ana sanctlon y looBer ploeeodlngs than
woula pq potu!!tseu !! ~ 'no 1usnese
1aas@Iions. IL Mouiu appoant tnah t4e o1lmnal 2
court, or any otner 20 wnlon " mlght, e, SEND tho
man, Golla nos tfy ana aang me maa till author"
ny haa neen commNtea 70 ~ ~ 9 warrant reg
nlar m upon lss 1ace' lssueo W ING proper antnor-
aty,
1t aGems that tho Justice OF the Supreme Court
waa 9bhgoa to grant r. ne suPorssdeas to prevent
judicial murder. Ao had nothing before him
put the record, and that showed NC authority to
try and hang the man, and he could not take tho
testimony OF any person to impeach the record
and SHOW diferont ssate Of FACTS, even though
sumof suggested That other facts existed. There
arc cases where Judges take brlbos to decide
wrong; there are others WheFo they proceed
from moro dangerous motive, and seek pre-
texts tor deciding cases one way or the other to
promote their ideas Of 1uBticc, to satisfy public
opinion as thoy view it. to sustain thoir consist
enoy, ana support former decisions, not one mo-
tl7e peine within thelr ohfh to do their duty &C.
cordlng tolaw. Indeed many Judges would rath-
or commit perjury t1un surrender these motives