, 1882-06-28
JAMES COOKE MARLBOROUGH.

AGEOIlN III VI liz = tFtSo 1-NN
on this subject which appeared recently III
The Times contains a few slight errors as
touching Switzerland that it may be well
to correct. There is no general law III
this country concerning pernlS de S90uT,
and although, by virtue OF a cantonal law,
permits are obligatory in Geneva, they
are not obligatory in every other part OF
the Confederation. Even in Geneva a
foreigner unprovided with passports or
other means of proving his identity is
allowed to remain so long as he reports
himself once a month at the Hotel de
Vile. ii it were otherwise, the Russian
r fugte s and otler 'paFerleSs' strangers
who make their temporary homes here
would have to find aSylumS elsewhere.
On the other hand, the police have the
power to eXpel from the canton foreigners
who are suspected of using an ALIAS, who
miSbehaVe themselves, or who have neither
occupation nor means. When Prince
Krapotkin first came to Geneva he called
himself by the name under which he had
escaped from Russia. When this fact
came to the knowledge Of the authorities
they sent him out of the Canton; but at
Montreux. whltherhe went, nobody troubled
him. He was afterwards, on assuming
his right name and producing a witness to
HIS lNlOlilAtN t4AOhAO " u 90
His second and subsequent expulsion
was from the Confederation by order
Of the Federal COuncil-at the instance,
as was believed and stated at the time, OF
the Russian Government. In respect of
expulsion the covers Of the swiss Govern
ment seem to be almost unlimited, and
applicable as well to natives rs to foreign
ers. Bishop Mermillod, though a born
Swiss, was expelled, without trial or
notice, on the ground that his conduct
tended to disturb the peace OF the Com
monwealth. Though Switzerland is so
thorough a Democracy, and the powers OF
the police are so much more restricted
here than they are in France, Germany,
italy, and other countries, and albeit the
Press is quite as free as in England,
measures for the detection Of crime are
adopted which in England are never
pyactised, and would probably not be
tolerated. a case in point occurred a
short time ago. A number of burglarles
were committed in a suburb OF Geneva,
and so adroit were the thieyeS-evldentlY
a ~gang-that they invariably escaped with
their booty, and for a long time evdded all
the attempts Of the gendarmeS to lay
hands on them. In the end an eXpcdient
was tried which had the desired effect.
One night, shortly after sunset, all the
roads in the neighbourhood III question
were bpSet with police, detectives, and
gardeS ChampetrcS. Every lane was watch
ed, every exit and entrance guarded,
every passer-by stopped and questioned,
and if there were anything suspicious Ill
a mans appearance or in his person he
was Professionally detained. One of the
men detained had house breaking tCOiS in
his possession. He was led Oft to gaOl.
All the others were set at liberty. The prl-
SOner, after being examined and crOSS.eX-
amined a few times by a Jage dI~nStructdOn,
and kept a week or two in solitary cOntine-
ment, made a full confession, gave the
names of his confederateS, and such other
information as enabled the police to cap
ture the entire gang, as veil as the recelv-
er of the stolen goods, who occupied SO
respectable q position that suspicion had
never for a moment rested upon him. 1t
a similar expedient were occasionally
praciiSed in the disturbed districts OF
Ireland, might it not cOnceivably lead to
equally satisfactory results? Whatever
may be thought of the Continental system
of interrogating accused persons, there
can be no question as to its efficiency IN
the detection of crime and the conviction
of criminals. During the last few years
there have been many trials for murder IN
Switzerland, but | do not remember one
that has broken down for lack Of evidence,
or a single case in which the prisoner has
not been brought before trial to make full
avowal of his guilt