Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-08-01
Justice for Sale.
A murder trial that his just been con

Amurder trial that his just been con
cluded by the conviction of two persons
in Jersey City, bids fair to become ga
celebrated case" About year ago q
policeman in that city, named Smith,
was murdered in the night. The al rm
was given by Mrs. Smith in the morn
ing, and she told very suspicious
story. She had been awakened i'll the
night, and saw tall man by her bed
side, who put cloth over her face that
"tasted sweet" and she knew no more
until she felt something cold," her
husbands dead body. The fact that
there were no bloodstains on her cloth
ing, though the murdered man had
bled profusely, seemed inconsistent
with her story; every bohy believed her
an accessory to the crime, if not the
criminal. A young man named Bennett.
the landlord of the Smiths and former
boarder with them, was suspected as
the murderer. When the two we're
brought to trial Bennett made an I'M
successful attempt to prove an abb;
and letter from him to Mrs. Smith,
Intercepted in the jail, contained pas
sages Inconsistent with the theory of
their innocence. A criminal intimacy
was admitted by both, and thus mo-
tive for the crime was established.
Though circumstantiul for the most
part, the evidence was convincing; ami
the Judge in his charge foreshadowei
the verdict of guilty" that followed.
The community in general has no
doubt of the justice Of this verdict.
Yet there Is strong newspaper agita-
ton in favor of the condemned p rsons,
on the ground that their trial was
Leither fair nor legal. Whether Judge
knapps charge WAS fitting one. IS for
the Courts to decide; not being learned
in the law, we do not express any opin-
ion upon it. AS to the question of fact
the jury has decided that, and decided
it correctly, beyond reasonable doubt It
which Is all that the law requires. The
accused are entitled TO every chance for
life that the law grants them, and TO no
more. The community has rights rs
well as criminals, aud one of those
rights is that the law against murder be
r Sorously enforced.
There is just one exception to this
statement. Murderers III New Jerse;
are entitled to ono right that the law III
that State does not grant--the right to
tie heard. Justice is for sale iu New
Jersey Courts to this extent, that No.
body can get hearing unless lie has
money. If he can fluid lawyers ready
to conduct his case Tor nothing, an ap-
plicution to the Court of Errors IN
wolves the printing of testimony and
other expenses to the amount OF So u
or more. Unless IL condemned crimInul
eau procure this sum he cannot even be
heard. Ii he or his friend have money
he can obtain II new trial, If he Is legal
~ entitled to it. Ii he Is penniless lie
can have no SIC nd trial, no matter how
clearly entitled to 1t. Mrs. Smith and
her paramour are Clearly entitled to
have their case heard, and argned 10y
counsel before the Court of Errors !;
out had not persons i'll no way couneot-
ed with them undertaken to raise the
necessary money they could not have
awaited themselves OF this right. 4,
In New York the State bears the ex-,
penses III criminal cases, So that the
right of appeal Is preserved to rich and
,.oor alike. 1t ought to be So i'll New
Jersey. The present law is u relic OF
Uarbarism, and this case will have done
some public service ii it lea,ts to mod
iticallon of SO Ubiquitous II statute.
Jersey Justice Is famous for its
promptness, and should prove its right
to the title 10y speedy action in TINS
matter. ~. I. E.caminer and Chronicle.