New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-18
IN 4 POLICE COURE
II. D. Horels IN The ARantie.

II. d.
The Irish case which presently came on, was a
question of assault and battery between Mrs.
| OHara and Mrs. MacMannis 1T had finally to be
dismissed after much testimony to the quit ana
| peaceable character of both parties dozen or
more witnesses were called principally young girls,
who had come in their best, ana wltn whom one
cOud fancy this an occasion of present satisfying
excitement and future celebrity. The witnesses
were generally more interesting than tne parues 10
the suits thought, and could not get urea Oh my
fellow-spectatOrs suppose, If went great many
times liked to consider the hungry gravity oil
their cOuntenances, as they listened to the FACTS
elicted and to speculate as to the ultimate eiiect
upon their moral natures-Or their immoral natures
of the gross aud palpable shocks daily impaired
to them by the details of vice ana crime. nave
tried to treat my material nghty ahd enIeItain+
ingly, as a true reporter should, but Wo1lu nor
have nv reader suppose that did not feel the
essential cruelty of an exhibition that tore IT'S poor
rays from all that squalld shame ana us mask from
ali that living covering guilt or did not suspect
how il must harden and depraYe thOse whom IL
daily entertained. This procession OF mlsdeeds,
passing under their eyes day after day must leave
n mia,m of moral death behind it, which no prison
or workhOuse can hereafter cure. we all know thaU
the genius of our law IS publicity; but IL may De
questioned whether criminal trials may not Dc as
proftablv kept private as hangings the popular at
tendance which was once supposed 10 DC Dul-
wark of religion and morality.
Not that there any ayOidable brutality, OF
even indecorum in the conduct of the trials that
saw. A spade necessarily called spade Out II
seemed to that with all the waste OF time ana
foreign alloy the old Puritan seriousness was making
itself felt even here, and subduing the tone OF tne
procedure to a grave decency cOnsOnant with the
injuries of justice For il was really justice that
was administered. far as could see; and justice
that was by no means blind, but very open-eyed
aud kecn-sIghtcd The causes were decided by one
man. from evidence usually extracted out OF
writing reluctance or abysmal stupldIty, ana
the Judgment must be formed and the sentence
given where the magistrate sat, amid the con nslOn
al the crowded room. Yet, except in the case OF
NV poor thief did not see him hesItate and did
not doubt his WISDOM am far from pron0unclng
bis sentence unjust--cven IN that case. HIS de
,.I fnff
wonderfully rapid cOgltauOn, and IN dealing with
the witnesses he never lost his temper amid densi-
ties OF duineSs which 1t is quite Impossible 20 do
more than indicate. If II were necessary, Tor exam
pie to establish the fact that handkerchief was
white 1t was not to DC done without some such
COIOquy rs tins:
WAS it a white handkerchief"
"SOT ~
Was the handkerchief whitcl"
"Wa5 il white. sr I"
Yes, was II whIiel"
WAS what white, SORT
The handkcrchief,-was the handkerchief
What handkerchief, sor
"The handkerchief you just meutioned,-the
handkerchief that the defendant dropped"
o." didnt see II, SOr'
Didn't see the handkerchief
Didn't see HIM drop n, sor.'
well did you see the handkerchief"
THE handkerchief, sort On, yes sor! saw it,
I saw the handkerchief"
well was II white I"
lt was, sOT."
A boy VINO complained of another for assaulting
him SAID that H. knocked him down.
How did he knock you down ~ asked the judge.
" Did he knock you down with his list or his open
hand I"
yes sor"
(Which did he do il with1'
Put his arms round me and knocked me down. "
"Ihen ne didn't knock You down lie threw you
down.
Yes sor He didn't troW me down. Put his
arms rOund me and knocked me down.
IL would be impossible To caricature these things
or to exaggerate the charitable lOng-Suferng that
dealt with such cases. Sometimes "a if III mere
questioned them privately after which the case
seemed To be- settled without further trial
have spoken of the theatrical Illusion which the
proceedings OF the Court produced; but il often
seemed 10 me also like a school where bad boys and
girls were brought mp for punishment They were,
indeed. like children those poor offenders, and had
a sort of innOcent simplicity in thcir wIckedness, as
good people have in their goodness.