San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-06-29

ne was pIOodDiy duuLl5 up lue sdltIleS VI
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 dec
Grafton of any kind, a few plain chairs or
benches No uniforms, no robes no wigs, no
trumpets, no liveried ushers The judge and
the barriSters are in black frock coats. The
ushers not quite so well dressed as the barris-
ters las a rule, 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-
lions. If 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"
1t 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 crime 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 a wild beast; if he is discov-
cred and offers very obstinate resistance,
bullet is lodged in his body, and the hunters
go TRANQUILITY home again.
Something which is much to be blamed,
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 morel 1t is aiding
torture to death penalty.
If that were only all
Jonathan is such philanthTopist 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 scatfold, 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 ex 3cution by electricity,
which has just been adopted by the governor
of New York state, will put an end to srch
sckening proceedings
1t is to be hoped also that the Americans
will some day do better than that. l, 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,
be always believes he has planned his crime
in such manner as not to be found out.
To tighten this rather lugubrious subject,
wi1 terminate with 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 il London.
A notorious criminal had been hanged in
the morning. Several members of the 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, l 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; Il say, n, tell US how you
would feel if you were being led to the scat
fold"
The actor raised his eyes to the ceiling and,
after another puff at his cigar, said quietly:
well, boy, should feel that at last | was
trusted with a leading part"
CHAPTER XVI.
Lynch law is a summary justice which, in
several Of the states, is constantly being
dealt out to criminals who, either from the
insufficiency of the ordinary laws, or because
of the absence of a judicial authority in the
neighborhood, might escape punishment
Not the least semblance of a trial or even
of examination, as rule; the populace has
taken it into its head that certain indi-
vidual is guilty of a crime, that suffices; he
is sought out, torn from his family, led to the
spot fixed upon for his execution, and there,
without questioning or shrift, he is hanged,
burned or shot, according to the fancy of his
executioners. Sometimes the criminal is in
prison, but the process of the law is slow and
uncertain, and the people fear that he may
escape Justice Again. there may be a chnnce