The Indianapolis journal., 1884-05-03
WHY LAW Is IN CONTEMPT.

almost daily by acts of violence done in the
name of order, is symptomatic of diseased
condition of society. Reports of murders and
other pronounced crimes are, in almost every
instance accompanied by the statement that
a lynching is contemplated, or about to take
place. Yesterdays news contained accounts
of two such proceedings, in which six men
were killed outside of the process Of law. 1t
IS no sufficient apology that these lawless pro-
.e $ result in better state of soci-
that the exigencies demand
even admitting this, it only en-
fact that law and justice are in
Aad do not command the respect
az <ce Of the people
5 -ot be truthfully denied that there is
"a has been for long time a criminal rot
H4nness in courts and court processes, and the
| ,me for this condition Of affairs must be laid
4 both those within and those without
xofficers OF courts who are content to see
5tice defeated, and upon the people who wit
ness such things without seeking reform in
the way prescribed by laws. The fault
is not with the law as written 50 much as
with the manner in which it is permitted to
be interpreted not so much with the consti-
tuition of the courts, in the way Of judges
elected by popular vote and juries chosen
from among the people, as with the all-too
prevalent disposition to laxity, and concession
TO the baser elements of society. In popu-
lar government like this the people have no
right to continue in contempt of laws and
courts. Both are creatures of the people.
The people can make and unmake the one,
put up and depose the other, If
the laws are not what they should
be it is easily within the power of the
people to alter them in any degree desired. If
courts are corrupt or inefficient they may be
impeached or set aside. The people are in
excusable in resorting to extra-legal processes
in dealing with criminals
But those who are supposed to administer
law are not without responsibility and blame.
Those who interpret and administer, and those
who enforce law, in too many instances evince
disregard for it themselves that in other
countries would forfeit their Offices, did it not
send them to prison. A familiar instance may
be cited in this city, where men violate
written law with the consent or sufferance
of our police officials. Night after night all
the saloons in the city are and have been al
owed to sell liquor until II o'clock, in direct
iolation of the law that says that sale must
e closed at IL, and this not only in defiance
# the statute, but by direct understanding
with the officers sworn to execute the law.
On Sunday they are all open, again with the
consent of the same officials. In other words,
the wishes of the law-defying element are
placed above the will of the people as inscribed
in the statute book. Speaking plainly, the
police officials of indianapolis, despite their
oaths to uphold and to enforce the law, are
bringing it into well-merited contempt.
There is danger in all this laxity. If the
IL o'clock law is wrong, let it be repealed; but
until it be repealed officers Of law owe it to
the people and to the interest of society to
enforce it without alteration, or, at least not
become parties to its steady and persistent
violation.
Another source of contempt for law and its
findings is the manner in which convicted
murderers are honized before the eyes of the
world Take the instance of the brutal wife
murderer McHugh, hanged at Cincinnati yes
terday. His offense was one Of the fouIest
and most fendish that can be conceived of;
yet the very hour he is condemned to death
he becomes hero in the eyes Of women fools
and men as disreputable as himself, and main
tanned in that position by the public press and
by the swon officers of the court who have
him in custody. His every movement is re
ported with a fidelity accorded no other person
in the community. His cell is changed to
boudoir bouquets are sent to him,
nd silly women make the jail
brine In the McIugh case all these things
ave been done; the papers of yesterday de-
,oted whole columns to the subject, and to-
lay each will probably contain page or more
illustrated and recounting all the details The
sheriff helps swell the villains importance by
issuing invitations to the 'ceremony'-for by
that term is the hanging ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ed on black bordered bristol board. He sup
plements these by oficiously and officially
publishing detailed programme Of the ''cere-
nonies," making every utthroat in the city