The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-02-15
THE WEAKNESS OF THE LAW

THE WEAKNESS OF THE LAW.
The uncertainty and inefficiency of
the law to secure justice has become
alarmingly apparent. There are no lack
|of criminal statutes and judicial
machinery for the suppression and
punishment of Wrong-doing. Laws
have been added to laws, and the
jurisdiction of courts enlarged to ar
rest the increasing occurrence of
crime. 1t might reasonably be sup
posed that with all the safeguards the
laws have thrown around the people
for the protection of life and property
there would be security for; these vital
interests. But Notwithstanding all
the statutory provisions for the sup
preston of crime, murderers 90 I'M
FURNISHED and the number of law
breakers who are arrested is insignifi-
cant compared with the number who
eyade the penalty of the law and
helped to escape. The Chicago Jour
nal says there We're forty-three homi.
cides in Chicago in the year 1883, and
not single conviction for murder in
the first degree; twenty-five of the
number escaped without any punish.
ment, and Of the others all but two
were given only short terms in the
penitentiary. The same paper re.
marks, there is less probability Of
punishment for taking human life
than for stealing horse" When a
valuable horse is stolen the whole
neighborhoOd is in commotion, Diet &C.
tiyes are put on the track, and if the
thief is caught he runs the risk of be-
ing summarily lynched. During the
year 1883 more persons were hanged
under lynch law tribunals than under
legal trial by courts and juries. This
disposition of the ipeople to take the
law into their own hands comes from
the fact that but little reliance can be
placed on courts and juries, as they
are now constituted, to convict Grimm
al yiolators of law. When trial by
jury was first established in England
it was regarded great advance in
good government, securing the rights
of the people. So juries have served a
good purpose in this country. but have
survived their usefulness. Juries
have become the playthings of law
yers, and easily comfortable by outside
influences.
Law and evidence cannot now
be chiefly relied upon to establish
right in the courts, especially in Grimm
al actions. The adroitness and skill of
lawyers is more depended upon to ex.
tricate an offender from the penalty of
the law than witnesses in the case.
There are those in the legal profession
who have wide reputation as Grimm
al lawyers that is, they are experts
in preventing the conviction of the
basest of criminals. They render con-
victing evidence of no avail by inter-
posing objections and technical ouib-
bles. How often has the remark been
heard, "If Mr.. B had had a good law
yer he. would have won his case"
The cause for losing his case was not
for the want of sufficient evidence, but
for the lack of an expert lawyer. This
is not only the condition of rights in
criminal matters, but also in ordinary
judicial proceedings. Whether the
day will come when no respectable
lawyer will defend a criminal he knows
to be such is an unanswered question,
but such a day is not without hone.
To say that common usage iustiies a
man in the legal profession to espouse
the cause of notorious scoundrel for
a money consideration is without ex-
cuse, How much worse is it to steal
than to help thief, believed to be such.
to escape the meshes of the law?