Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-04-03
MOB Oh MAGIsTRATE-THE JURY
system.

The editor OF the Century, IN ais
Topics of the Time" says:
During the year which has just
closed, the telegraph has reported tif'
teen hundred aud seventeen murders in
the United States. This record Is not
supEuSed to be complete, but it is nearly
o. The cases of capital crime are few
Which the enterprising reporter does
uUt drag to light and publish to the
world. The reader Of any daily Journal
connected with tine Associated Press Is
speedily informed of nearly all the des'
perate deeds that are done in the dark
OF by daylight upon this continent.
The fullness with which crime is re-
ported gives an impression OF the In
ereaseOf crime stronger than the facts
will warrant; yet the facts are bad
enough. During the year 1882 twelve
hundred and sfxty-six murders were re-
ported. A comparison of two years is
not conclusive, for there is considerable
fluctuation ia the number of crimes;
is is only from comparison of periods OF
five or ten years that any trustworthy
differences can be drawn. But there is
no dispute concerning the rapid increase
of capital crime, and the fact Is ontn.
Gus.
Over against the fifteen hundred muir
ders Of the last year, We have the report
of barely ninety three legal executions.
MANY Of these must have been cases in
which the crime had been committed
in 1882, while many of the criminals OF
1888 had not yet been brought to trial.
IL is not, however, far from the truth
10 say that, while thirteen or fourteen
hundred murders are committed In this
country every year, fewer than hum
dred of the murdererS suffer the eX.
treme penalty of the law. When the
willful slayer knows that be has thir-
teen chances out of fourteen of escaping
the full penalty of the law, the deter
rent influences Of punishment cannot
be said to be very powerful.
The same year that witnessed ninety
three legal executions witnessed one
hundred and eighteen lynchings. Toe
lawless executions Outnumber the law
full ones by twenty-five per cent.
The laws against murder are strong
enough; but when the people know
that not one in q dozen of the willful
murderers receives the just recompense
Of his deeds, and that technicalities and
bubbles are constantly allowed to shell
ter the worst criminals, they themselves
become desperate; snd, breakingthrough
the Just and salutsry restraints OF law,
they deal vengeance right and left IN
bloody and turbulent fashion.
IL cannot he too often nor too strong
proclaimed that these lynchings
themselves are crimes; that they are
utterly without excuse; thai they furn-
n a remedy which Is worse than the
iii ease.
Nevertheless, the failure of criminal
Justice, which makes room for MODS
md lynehing, is greater disgrace than
he. savagery of the mobs. The fact
hat thirteen out of fourteen murderers
scape the gallows is the one damninS
act that blackens the record of our
criminal jurisprudence. No American
ought to indulge in any boasting about
his native land, while the evidence re-
mains that the laws made for the pro-
lection of human life are thus shame
leSsly trampled under foot. No occu.
pant of the bench and no member of
he bar ought to rest until those mons
trous abuses which result in the utter
defeat Of justice are thoroughly cor
rected.
The small number of murders hanged
by the sher,il;, and the greater number
hanged by the mobS, should be evidence
enough that the administration OF our
criminal courts in many quarters is
fatally defective, and needs reforming.
The only classes of persons interested IN
maintaining the present state of things
are the criminals and the criminal law
yels; and it is not for their exclusive
benefit that society is organized. The
contrast between the swift, firm and
sure methods Of English and Continen-
tai courts in dealing with great crimi-
nails, and The tardy, feeble, and abor-
tive methods Of our own, should sting
our national pride to some energetic
measures of reform. The people must
rouse themselves to demand q more
vigorous enforcement of the laws, aud
they must see to it that judges and pros
ecuting attorneys are chosen who have
the ability and the will to bring evil
doors tojustice."
One of the fruits of the evils of the
administration of our courts and the
present jury system is Cincinnati's re-
cent riot with its appalling list ofnearly
three hundred killed and wounded.
The jury system must be remodeled or
must CO." 1t is here, at the very out
set, in the qualification Of jurors and the