The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-31

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was intended as power to punish crime has de-
generated into an amless, unmanageable mob.
But as troops are now pouring into the city il
sufficient numbers to quell the disturbance, law
and order will again be supreme in a very few
hours
THE DUTY OF GOOD CITIZENS.
Cincinnati EnquiIer
The situation is one which eripples any at
tempt to describe it, 1t is past the point of NOR
alizaton or argument, and nothing but appeal
| suggests itself 1t is difficult to consider it
calmly, but calmness, deliberation. Judgment,
| arg qualities for which there is pressing need
Surely the rioters have gutted their ven
geance. If there is any good lesson in mob law,
! it has certainly gone far enough. Can there be
! any further satisfaction
| For the good name and fame of Cincinnati, let
| the work of the torch, the bludgeon, the pistol
| and the shotgun cease. Surely even those who
have been actuated by bloedthirsty motives must
| be satisfied with the desPoilment which stands
out frightfully before us this morning
If the citizens of Cincinnati do not want to see
our trade PROSTATE at their feet let them assume
control and prevent further scenes of bloodshed.
Let no effort or organization that can interpose
the influence and power of good citizenship be
neglected
The state of affairs is lamentabe, and good
and effective work cannot be done too soon The
abstract questions involved must be decided in
the future, but the present demand is to stop
| the roting and bloodshed and destruction of
property. Let every man who values his citi-
zenship rally for the welfare of Cincinnati and
De Careful InaU MS llluN1Uudl acJlOn snail De IN
perfect harmony with whatever means shall be
justly taken to restore peace at the least possible
mortal cost The expense in blood has been too
great already, and the property loss is beyond
calculation, as we have said. Even those who
applied the torch must be appalled, when they
realize the extent of the ruin.
1t becomes every citizen-the man of property
the employer and employe-every man who
comprehends the value of a peaceful home and
properly regards the happiness of his family
to fly TO the succor of the city at once.
ADMINISTRATION OF LAW.
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.
The mistake has been made throughout the
unhappy excitement in this city which has had
such terrible results. of undertaking the force of
the public indignatian. The longeontinued mall
administration of the laws, and the defiant atti-
tude of the evildoers, with the apparent hope
lessness of speedy remedies, has produced
| sense of resentment stronger than those who
have not had especial occasion to famiiarize
themselves with the prevalent feeling could have
coniectured.
The Music Hall indignation meeting was called
and managed by those who were not aware of
the infammability of the material around them,
and even after the experience of Friday night
| the enormous crowd that assembled last evening
and the desperate spirit of many in it, was a
prise
There has been, in addition to this failure to
understand the dangerous conditions around us,
a series of deplorable mistakes leading ON to the
supreme disaster that is upon US There is &.
large amount of personal responsibility to set
tie, but this is no time for that. First, we must
have order and peace.
THE DEFECTS OF THE JURY SYSTEM
Cincinnati News journal.
Now the public can see-illustrated by case
hardly excelled in the annals of criminal iuris-
prudence, for absurdity. to say nothing more
the weak and vicious point in the jury system as
1t is. In case as clear as MONDAY, confessed
and proved by all concurrent circums stances,
until evidence became absolute proof before am
impartial tribunal, with whose rulings no fault
can be found; with the duty of the State prose-
cutor thoroughly done, a murderer, whose act
was cold blooded murder or nothing, is absurdly
convicted of nanslaughter.
If there had been mitigating circumstances,
some precedent great wrong done the criminal
by the victim, some outstanding grudge, based
upon mortal injury, the absurd verdict could be
understood.
When the murderer Sturla was by a Chicago
jury adjudged guilty of manslaughter an equal
ahsurdity was apparent: for her crime was muir
der in the first degree or nothing but there was
the sex of the prisoner, powerful appeal to the
sympathies in her wrongs and in her unfortu-
nate relations with her victim. whose victim in
some measure she had been, and these strength
ened by the plea of insanity and proof of such
female disease as sometimes affects the mind and
the emotions. 1t at least to be seen that
the absurd verdict, sustained by facts. was Il
way out of harsh verdict by jury. honest but
not entirely convinced that she should die and
yet not willing to turn her loose.
Here there is no mitigating circumstance and
no fact to sustain or excuse an absolutely ilog-
ica verdict 1t is an excellent stand point from
which to view evil that is seldom or never dis
cussed and yet goes to the very root of the jury
system as it is We have a responsible Judge
and responsible prosecutor, and this wrong
resting upon an absolutely irresponsible jury.
The cardinal defect l our system of criminal ,
jurisprudence is that an arm of it which is, ac-
cording to all precedent and judicial opinion,
Judge of law and facts, is wholly irresponsible.
1t may wrong society as it will in its verdicts,
and then separate, fall back into and mingle with
society. lost and forgotten, as irresponsible as
the wave which washes away the shore cottage
and then is lost in the sea.
The press may publish names, society may for
the moment denounce and passionate but
transient indignation run high, but that is the
end. No responsibility is laid upon the next col
lection of social atoms that is to be gathered to
sit as jury, and to separate, Irresponsible and
to be lost in the social ocean where it is secure
because it is unknown, unseen henceforth and
forgotten
citizen between him and the crown appointed
judges, this coming from and going back to so
cety, lost and irresponsible, was a positive
virtue. or at least only comparatively trivial
evil, incident to IL system which wrought the
highest good To day this quality is the prime
and crying evil of the present jury system.
Judges, courts, prosecutors, and even defending
attorneys may have their sins laid on the ire
sponsibe jury. 1t has acted; it acted within its
powers; it is gone; nobody is responsible. And
yet one, or soIne all of the machinery of
justice may have been responsible The jury is
the scape; or. as here. Judge and prosecutor may
have discharged their duties in a manner be-
You'd criticism; it may be known as here that
the wrong is in the jury whether criminally or
from criminal ignorance matters notl and yet
there is response blity. The jury has been
absorbed into, to be lost among the people, back
into the social ocean whence If is lost No rem
edy win be adequate, or meet the demands of
society which does not reach this cardinal evil
COURTS WICKED FARCE