New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-04
IRISH CRIME.
,xTrNIDATING WHOLESALE MUIR
DIR

-. r;l,rl ;onrnals IN their too frequent tone OF
oseudo-L LIBERAL pedantry They VIII not looA at
,hings broadly. think Mr. Justice LaNSonS ACT
defensible and audable from whatever point OF We"
Won look at it, If you do not shut your eyes 10 'he
circumstances YOU can hardly deny ~ Tie praise
due 10 courage ana a righteous resolve that tDe
o5ministration OF Justice shall not he interiered
with. Mr. Justice Lawson was presiding over
snecial Commission organized under the Prevention
Of Crime Act man namel Hynes ha0 been
tried before this commission for an agraran murder
fouud guilty on the cearest evidence and sentenced
70 death day or two later other verdcts OF guilty.
were returned The leaders Of the agrarlan aglta-
tion in Ireland tLunderstruck lhey "o''
knew that the success Of their agitation go l"i ID
A. has heen success has depended on the perpetfa-
tlou of crime and the impunity oil the cr''"inS'S'
Irish assassins cOnld be relied on for the necessary
,urrdrs and Irish jures could be relied on not TO
convict The Prevention OF Crime Bill as Orlsl-
nallv drafted threatened to break up this conven-
;ant Arrangement 1t gave the Judge the power OF
eonvicting without a jury. A tremendous attack
was made on the bill. In the end the Government
q, reed TO an alternative provision, under which
trials micht proceed before commission, with
special Jury The Irish party breathed freely
again. They cared little under what form or by
what machinery panel was got together 20 long AS
conviction depended on the verdict OF jury they
felt sure that the guilty would 20 tree
The Hynes verdict showed the ParneIntes
their mistake. They at once perceived that II lhs
verdict were allowed to pass, 90 murderer hence
forward was safe. They set themselves 10 as
credit both the system ami the Jury. They ac-
cused the Government of packing the jury. Ihey
socused the Jury of drunkenness. The organ
selected for the publication of their calumnies
was the most powerful and widely circulated
journal in Ireland. The TreemGH's Journal The
owner and editor of it is Mr.. Gray, and Mr.. Gray.
besides being VI. 2. for Carlow County, is High
Sheriff Of Dublin and officially responsible for the
safe custody and good behavior OF the Jury.
whom as journalist he attacked. say without
hesitation that if Mr. Justice Lawson had toll
Grated this the Prevention OF Crime Act would
have been from that moment so far as trials by
.necial commission went. a dead letter. He had
10 choose between two things. lie could put IN
force the unquestioned aud unquestiOnable power
Of the Court to punish for contempt. lie could
refrain from using that power. and permit Juries
10 be intimidated and justice paralyzed IheTe
was no middle course lie chose the former. NO
LAWYER DOUBTED that Mr.. Gray had been guilty Of
contempt The sole question was, should he be
punishedi
Those who say he should not say in effect that
they desire the success OF the conspiracy against
Justice of which Mr. Gray was only agent
value 10 the technical bubbles or pleas of hard
ship urged in Mr. Grays behalf. That he had not
time to defend himself that the jury might have
prosecuted him, that the Government might have
prosecuted him and so left his guilt to be deter
mined by another jury. and that jury under the
terror then uCcessfully esabshed-these and other
plausible counts may be brushed aside The fact that
Nr Cray did publish the attacks was not denied,
ana could not be denied. Their publication did
more than deter future jures from doing their duty
1t put in peril the lives of the jury Mr.. Gray
had Denounced. Am to sit here said NJ. Justice
Lawson and tolerate that public jurors are 10 be
held up 10 execration for simply doing their duty
And he continued: | see perfectly well the design
of these articles. IL is TO endeavor 10 destroy IN
the public mind the moral effect OF these CON
yictOns and TO interfere with the trial OF DIlSon-
.rs yet 70 be tried. aud TO prevent Jurors from
bringing to the dschsi ge Of their duties that free
and unfcttered Judgment, that Judgment free from
alarm and trepidation, which every man ought to
have when he comes TO discharge hts duty And
again: What is the position Of these twelve men
denounced and held up 10 public execration in The
Fresulaqs JolraGlF We know that jurors have
lost their lives in this country. and there is that
memorable case of Mr. Herbert in the County Kerry.
who lost his life because he did his duty as IA Juror
Honor. l say to judge who thus fearlcssly and
freely speaks and acts. When Mr.. Justice Lawson
sentenced Mr. Gray to three mouths imprisonment
d fine of $500, and to give security in $4,000 for
good behavior. he performed a high public service.
lie strengthened the law. He set the Prevention
Of Crime Act on its legs.
OF course the Parneltes RACED Of course they
attacked the Judge 1t a remarkable thing that
the Parnelntes in the presence of agraran crime
lose all command Of their very c02ious vocabulary
Of denuncatoD but instantly recover it for the
benefit Of a Judge who vigorously assails crime and
criminals. They have berated Mr.. Justice Law
with their usual vulgar license OF tongue.
Lyen Mr. Justin Mccarthy plucked up courage to
have "a fling at the Bench. Mr.. Sexton rallied
OIL the judge That to be expected aud need
not detain US. The sole point to which moments
consideration need be gwen is the attempt to main
tain the accuracy of Mr.. Grays calumnies AS TO the
alleged packing Of the jury, 1t is contradlcted by
The highest law officials OF the Government, and by
those directly responsible for the panel, aud no
evidence has been produced to control their denial
Evidence, however. such as it Is, read to the
House by Mr. Sexton tending to prove that there
wa. disorderly conduct the part OF two or three
1urvmen on the night Ia question. The evidence is
purely ey-pGr.e, the afiidavits are suca as would
not be listened 10 in court Of justice, they
sent TO London by telegraph there has been
cross-examinatiOn, there has not even been
Identification OF the witnesses. such testimony
may or may not be authenticated anu confirmed
Al present 1t is entitled to little if any weight But
admit it ~ be true and ii leaves the main issue
touched. 1t leaves Mr. Gray stu in the position Of
publishing the story without knowing whether it
was true OF not without inquiry. The jury deny it,
and court inquiry The Judge expresses his conf
dence in the jury. and his belief in the falsity Of
the accusation.
II the jury lie, and the Judge is dupcd, Mr. Gray
Is no better of He is still the High Sheriff. neg