The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-07-08
SWISS METHODS
The Manner in Which Criminals are
drought to lay in the European Re-
public.

The Manner in Which Criminals are
drought to Bay in the European Re-
public.
The Geneva correspondent of the London
Times writes: There is no general law in
this country concerning permits de sejour,
and although, by virtue of cantonal law,
permits are obligatory in Geneva, they are
not obligatory in every other part of the
confederation. Even in Geneva q 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. If it were otherwise
the Russian refugees and other "paperleSsn
strangers who make their temporary homes
there would have to find aSylums elsewhere
On the other hand the police have the power
to eNpel from the canton foreigners who are
susp' Cted of using an alias, who mis-
| behave themselves, or who have neither oc-
cupatlon nor means. When Prince IRA
pOtkin first came to Geneva he called him
self by the name under which he had es-
capped from Russia. When this fact came
to the Knowledge of the authorities they
sent him out of the cantcn but at Mon
treauX, whittier he went, nobody troubled
him. He was atterward, On assuming his
right name, and producing Il witness to his
identity, allowed to return to Geneva His
second and subsequent expulsion was eX.
pulson from the confederation by order of
the federal cOuncil-at the instance, as was
believed and stated at the time, of the Rus.
sian government In respect of expulsion
the powers OF the Swiss government seem to
be almost unlimited, and applicable as well
to natives rs to foreigners. Bishop Mer.
milod, though born Swiss, was expelled,
without trial or notice. on the ground that
his conduct tended to disturb the peace OF
the commonwealth. Though Switzerland
is so thorough democracy, and the pow
ers Of the police are so much more restrict
ed there than they are in France, Germany,
! Italy, and other countries, and albeit the
| press is quite as free rs i'll England, meas
ures for the detection OF crimes are adopted
which in England are never practiCed, and
would probably not he tolerated. A case
! in point occurred short time ago. \ rum
Der OF burgares were committed in SUI
! burb of Geneva, and SO adroit were the
! thieves-eyldenty gang-that they
inyariable escaped with their booty, and
| for a long time evaded all the attempts of
the gendarmes to lay hands on them.
In the end an eXpedient was tried which
llill lllt NtHllNu tllNNl. viz lllGul SHORTLY
after sunset, all the roads in the neighbor.
in question were bcset with police, dctec-
tiVcs, and gardcs-Champetrcs. Every lane
was watched, every exit and entrance
guarded, every passcr-hy stopped and ques.
toned and If there was anything suspi-
Cous in mans appearance or in his per
son, he was Professionally detained. One of
the men detained had house breaking tools
in his possession. He was led of TO iail,
All the Others were set at liberty. The
prisoner after being examined and cross
examined Il few times by a JUICE d'instruc-
ton, and kept week or two in
solitary confinement, made q full
confession, gave the names OF his con.
tederates, and such other infur pation as
enabled the police to capture t.e entire
gang, as well as the receiver of re stolen
goods, who occupied so respectful posi-
ton that suspicion had never for :, moment
rested upon him. If q similar cxpedient
we're occasionally practiced in the disturbed
districts of Ireland, might 1t not conceiya-
bly, lead to equally satisfactory resdlts?
Whatever may be thought of the CONT
mental system of interrogating accused per
sons, there can be no question as to its elf
cheney III 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 re.
member one that has broken down for lack
ol evidence, or single case in which the
prisoner has not been brought before trial
to make lull ayOwal of his guilt