The Evening critic., 1884-04-17
THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE
Hold Meeting ana Discuss the De
tcctive TrinIs and Other Mnitara.

Hold Meeting and Discuss the De-
tcctive Trials and other Matters.
There was meeting OF tho Citizens Com.
mittee last night which was very largely OF.
tended. Mr.. Ballantyno called the meeting to
order and Mr.. A. Z. Bateman acted as secro.
tary.
Tho Republican this morning gives the fol
lowing account Of the proceedings:
"Tho work Of tho committee was reviewed
ana commented on by tho members, and It was
determined TO form permanent and thor.
ough organization, which was necessary to
protect tho citizens from the thieves who In
TEST the city. The present police force was
characterized as incompetent and unworthy
the name. The general impression seemed to
DO That Major Dye was poor disclplnarlan,
and although he had been successful In man.
aging Egyptian troops, he could not control
the police force of this city. In tho expression
OF opinion as TO the late detective trials, the
Jury eyetem was discussed and condemned.
one OF the members OF tho committee gave
vent TO his Indignation by declaring that II
was the abuses that had grown up under just
such system which had caused the Clncln-
"Mr. John W. Thompson, tho chairman,
stated that ho must decline TO be the active
head OF tho committee unless better organ
lzation was erected. lie said tho people
thought ho was the Citizens Committee alone,
anu that he did not caro- TO have his indlvldu-
ANY 60 prominent. These remarks led TO the
adoption OF the following resolutions intro
duced by Mr.. Falls:
"HeSoired, That this committee terder Its
hearty thanks to Its chairman, Hon. John W.
thompson, for his energetic and valuable OF.
torts in tho suppression OF crime, aud thereby
In carrying out the wishes OF the committee;
mead OF this organization and that he desig.
nato four members OF the general committee as
an executive commlttoo to aid him In the
iurther prosecution Of tho work oftho commit
tee.
"The question as to tho expenses incurred
by the committee In tho work was raised by n
member, and resolution was adopted au
thorl2ing the chairman to submit detailed
stRtement.
"Mr. Thompson then read report Of tn
work OF tho committee In relation 10 tho trla
OF McDeviu and Finder,
We reviewed the character OF tho offense,
which was clearly receiving stolen goods. Tho
circumstances OF tho larceny wore all proved
Dwelling upon the testimony OF HovaD, the
| report was explicit In declaring that that tes-
| timopy bore all tho Internal evidences OF
truth, and was corroborated by outside evil
| dence. Reviewing the character OF the oifenso
| charged, which, according TO the general
| Judgment, would be deemed clear case OF re.
celviDg stolen goods, and that tho possession
| OF ono would be held to be tho possession of
| ell who are associated or who shared In tho
plunder. The instruction OF the Judge In the
| cnse Of McElfresh and Finder was quoted.
| That instruction was that II It were q fact
that the detectives were in c0llusion or con-
| epirncy with the fence TO buy the stolen
goode, and when reward was offered the do
tectlvo 10 take the goods to the owner, receive
| and distribute the reward between themselves
and the fence, then this would constitute such
n confederacy rs would make the possession OF
| the fence the possession of the detectives. In
| such a case the detectives would he liable
under an Indictment for receiving stolen
goods. With this ruling continues the report
| all good citizens would have been content.
| But the charge OF Judge Wylie In tho case
| under consideration entirely reversed the In.
structlons quoted above. From this last rul-
| ing verdict OF acquittal, no matter what tho
| testimony or the opinion Of the Jury might be,
was toregono conclusion. The report then
anln NNNN
was ruled out OF the Indictment and Flinders
| guilt put upon syllogism such as the follow
ing ggI, , 49,.
| Flinder received II knowing 1t 10 have been
stolen, but received 1t to return 1t to the bank.
therefore, II Flinder was guilty OF receiving
| Ter or the bank, who likewise received tho
stolen property for tho bank, knowing It to
have been stolen. But this Is absurd as far as
| Mr.. White Is concerned, hence II Is ABSURD so
| far as Finder Is concerned
"'Thie, in effect, was the ruling of tho Court
| upon the Indictment, and necessarily tho par.
ties were acquitted
"The report also alludes to the dictum OF
| this judge In saying that he had no doubt the
| prosecution originated In the purest motives
and was very jealous, but zeal without wis.,
dom was apt 10 oyerreach itself. The COM
| mittee tried TO take the wisdom OF the
| Judge along with them, but that was not prac.
"Iniconclusion, the report says TN two OF
the cases against the indicted detectives the
| uelenuunts nave Deen acquitted IN pursuance
| OF the Instructions OF the Court
"The disposition thus made OF these cnses
is nnal, because there is, practically, no way
OF obtaining O review OF decision made
against the prosecution
NIn the case against Dunn and Murphy, IN
which verdict OF guilty was rendered, the
verdict was set aside and new trial granted
by the Court in General Term, because OF an
alleged error committed by Judge Wylle In
determining under what act of Congress- juries
are to be organized In this District
"ln another case, recently disposed OF In
General Term, new trial was granted to a
confessed murderer upon the ground that the
Judge erred In deciding as to the quali1ca-
tions OF Jurors
"The Judge wko presided at the recent
trials has been assigned to hold tho court dur.
Ing the remainder OF this year. He has pre-
sided in criminal courts, by virtue OF success
siyo assignments, since January, 1882
"'The Supreme Court OF this District, as ls
well known, Is composed OF six judges. Three
OF tho six judges hold the Court In General
Term, TO which appeals are taken from the de
cleions Of the Judges holding the criminal and
special terms. Three OF the six judges, II
fact, interpret the laws here In force and de-
termine the principles by which civil rights
and criminal offenses are to be adjudlcated.
""rheso facts appear to indicate that there
exists great uncertainty In the administration
and Interpretation OF the criminal laws of this
7 as 10 what steps should be taken toward bring
| Ing criminals to justlce.'
| "At tho conclusion OF the reading OF the
report, the following resolution was adopted
"'Rtsolced, That in adopting the report jus
submitted, It is the sense OF this committee
that we should not relax our efforts for The
protection OF life and property in this District
and for the speedy trial OF persons indicted fo
crime, and their punishment when fount
guilty.