Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-12-26
lancaster fntelligeacer.
TUESDAY EVENING, DEC. 20. 1892

Tuesday EVENING, DEC. 20. 1899.
Reiress of Domestic Wrongs. /!
Two gentlemen Of social and political
in this state have had di-
ficulty, in which one shot and killed the
other. The facts are not yet sufficiently
developed to determine whether the
killing was justifiable or otherwise in the
law nor are they sufficiently known to
show which party was in the wrong IN
the judgment of their fellows. ProSa-
bly when they are known as fully as pos
s;ble, public opinion will still be unset
tied. It seems TO he one of those cases
wherein the judgment o: the law and
of the people is apt to be uncertain. a
fither finds his daughter betrayed ana
seeks reraration from the man upon
whom she charges her trouble. Some
times the man is not guilty, ard when
guilty there are all sorts of variation IN
the possible degree of his guilt. Some
times he deserves to be shot and some
times not. There is a corresponding
difference in the guilt of the woman
sometimes she should be the party shot.
That St. Louis husband who the other
day shot the paramour OF his wife as
they left the door of an assignation house
would have exhibited better idea of
the situation il he had made her his tar.
get. In the tragedy which low excites
a .., Ian. the father evidently believed
il; ,se comparative innocence of h:S
daughter, as fathers are wont to DO. lie
n:,., iyed it to be his duty to protect her
honor or avcnge his wrong. lie sought
the man she accused in tie retirement
of his apartment in hotel and had a
struggle with him in which he lost his
life. Upon this state of facts the law
will not be apt to find that CRIME was
committed. When man IS sought IN
his home with hostile intent he is Justl-
fled in forcibly repelling his assailant,
although only with the use OF suiil-
Gent force. There may still lie cir.
cumstances attending this affray which
will make it a case of murder; but it is
clear, at least, that Captain Mutt was
not justified under the law in entering
the apartment of Mr.. Dukes with the
hostile purpose which he manifestly en-
.er.ained. He was first in fault, the law
Will say and yet society will say, what
else could he do? In these cases society
and the law contemplate the situation
differently, although the law is sup
posed to represent the sentiment Cf the
people it governs and by whom it is
made. 1t does not do so by a great deal.
The law says to the father who complains
of the seduction of his daughter, bring
the action against her betrayer that has
been prepared for just such case. But
the general sentiment of the community
is that this is the very last thing father
should do. 1t certainly ought to he the
right thing to pursue the remedy laid
down by the law ; and as it is just as Ger
tainly the wrong thing, in the genera
Judgment, to adopt that remedy
what is clearer than that thu
remedy is inadequate to the Occa.
sion and that the lawmakers need t,
put on their thinking caps to supplant i
with another. The injured parent re
quires speedy remedy. He demand
immediate punishment and the peopl
say he should have it. Instead the Law
gives him jury trial after the lapse O
months in which his sore spirit is furthe
narrowed by demoniacal lawyers an(
prejudiced witnesses. 1t does not meet
the case go and make him marry yOul
daughter or shoot him is the advice mos
people would give him.
1t is not good advice, and one reason
is because there is danger of being shot
as Captain Mutt was, and then TIN
afflicted family was still further afllic
ton, while the guilty man may not b
made to suffer after all. But it is no
good advice in the interest of justice
the aggrieved parent ought not to b
made the judge and eXecutiOner of hi
wrong. lie is just us likely to avc3g
himself upon the wrong man rs the rigil
one, and it would not do to subject ever.
man in the community to the mercy G
its fathers and the veracity Of il
daughters. Evidently the law mus
come in to restrain the natural propens
ty of men to lie their own avengers. Til
is just the state of affairs in which, Ia,
is needed, and it certainly ought to b
possible 10 make it adequate to tn
occasion. If summary jurisdictio
over seduction cases was give
to the judges without publ;cit
to the proceedings, probably a
adequate remedy would he had. In sue
cases the publications of the newspaper
are nuisance to the public and the pal
ties, and they should be suppressed
Then if the lawyers could be gagge
and the judgment of a few cool-lleade
old laymen be taken to assist the dete,
mination of the court, possibly equal an
exact justice might he done all aroun
without the uncertain aid of a revOlve
THERE is no force IN the su:ges..iU
that Grant ought to be put on the roll {
retired officers of the army, because 81
is not altogether pleasant thought thu
the man who came out of the war cor
spicuous above all others for his militar
skill, for his services and renOwn, shoul
be left in the afternoon and evening {
his life unrecognized on the rolls of I'll
army he did SO much to immortalize.