The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-03-29
CHAPTER XIV.

CHAPTER XIV.
had just returned from America, and
was sitting in the smoking room Of the North
Western Hotel. Liverpool was chatting
with an American fellow passenger on tho
Atlantic voyage, while admiring St Georges
hall, which stands, opposite This magnif-
cent building, which serves as palace of jus
tice, is the finest modern edifice Of the. En-
glish provinces
All OF once we heard blast Of trumpets
A crowd rushed toward the hall, and lined
the flight Of steps leading to the grand en-
trance Heralds and lackeys, all bedizened
with scarlet and gold, presently descended
the steps, followed by police officers Sew
eral carriages then drove up From one Of
them there alighted man arrayed in scar
let robeand errnine tippet and wearing pow
dered wig The scarlet robe, followed by
the cort.ge which had formed, solemnly
mounted the steps between the crowd, which
stood gazing with open mouthed and wide
eyed admiration.
What show Is there going on oppositeT
asked the American, In the easy going tone
that so distinguishes the Yankee
He was an innocent abroad"
"My dear SIR" said to him, sit is simply
a judge going to try a thief or two. England
honors her criminals with great deal Of
parade, as you see"
My American was silent for a few minutes
He was probably adding up the salaries of
the judge, the police officers, heralds and
ushers, the lawyers fees, the cost of the
building. carriages and show generally, and
no doubt comparing the total with the pound
or two stolen from his employers by dis
honest clerk, for whom all this grand repre-
sentation was taking place.
Nothing Is more simple than an American
court Of justice. Four walls innocent Of doc
GRAFTON Of any kind, a few plain chairs or
benches No uniforms. no robes. no wigs, no
trumpets. no Inverted ushers. The judge and
the barristers are in black frock coats. The
ushers not quite so well dressed as the barris-
tiers las rulel. and that is all
In France, we pay legion, host rather,
of judges and police officers, to look after
our security. and never should we dream Of
helping them in the exercise of their func-
tions Il crime remain wrapped in mys-
terry. we say TO ourselves: 81 pay the police;
it Is for them to discover the criminal; it is
not my business, and, besides. the profession
Of detective Is not in my line or to my taste :"
It Is not the same in the United States
There public safety concerns every one.
The population of town feel dishonored
by the preparation of a'erime in their midst
Every one is on the alert to catch the Grim
inal; men organize themselves into bands to
search the country round. An assassin is
tracked in the woods with bloodhounds and
guns, like q wild beast, il he is discov.
cred and offers very obstinate resistance, q
bullet is lodged in his body. and the hunters
go TRANQUILITY home again.
Something which is much to be blamed, l
think, is the procrastination of American
justice. BY going the right way to work, a
condemned criminal may often succeed in
getting his case to be tried again and again.
In cases Of murder, what good can it do to
keep poor wretch, that it is decided to hang,
in prison for year or morea 1t is adding
torture to death penalty. Il
Ii that were only all
Jonathan Is such philanthropist that he
with difficulty makes up his mind to execute
fellow creature even legally. So. when he
has kept year in prison a criminal. whom
he Is at last forced to hang, he leads him to
the scaffold. puts rope round his neck,
jerks him UP in the air. and manages to take
twelve or sixteen minutes dispatching him.
This is philanthropy with a vengeance, and
it is to be hoped that execution by electricity,
which has just been adopted by the governor
Of New York state, win put an end to such
sickeiiing proceedings.
! It Is to be hoped also. that 1.-The Americans
will some day do better than that |, for my
part, do not doubt that they will abolish
death sentences before very long. They are
too intelligent not to understand that the
death sentence deters no criminal. and this
for very simple reason. A crime is com
mitted under the impulse Of passion, or it has
been premeditated In the first case, the
criminal never thinks Of the punishment to
come. he Is blinded by passion; in the second,
he always believes he has. planned his crime
In such a manner as not to DO found out.
To tighten this rather iugubrious subject,
viii terminate with O little anecdote, which
has never seen the light, and which think is
too delightfully."- humorous and pathetic to be
allowed to remain unpublished.
The scene was the smoking room of the
Savage club in London. -
A notorious criminal had been hanged in
the morning. Several members of tho club
were talking Of the affair. and each one de-
scribed what his feelings would be If he were
led to the scaffold to be hanged
During this conversation an actor, well
known, but to whom managers. | scarcely
know why, never intrust any but secondary
parts. sat silent in an arm chair. sending up
long puffs Of smoke soaring to:the ceiling.
Hello. there Is N, who has not given his
opinion" said one of the group suddenly no
ticing the actor; II say, N. tell US how you
would feel II you were Icing led to the scat
fold.n
The actor raised his eyes to the ceiling and,
after another puff at his cigar. said quietly:
"Well. boys. should feel that at last was
trusted with leading part"
CHAPTER XVI
Lynch law Is q summary justice which, in
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