The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1889-10-12


We have had terrible miscarriage Of
Justice here In the disagreement of the jury
in the case of Ives, whose gigantic swindles
shook the life out of Wall street few
months ago. And this brings us face to
face with this bald proposition; Is our
present jury system the best that Can be
devised for the impartial administration
of justicep just think what you ask of
twelve men ignorant of the law, with
which YOU will say they have nothing to
do. But they have; they have to weigh
the facts as they hear them, and on their
judgment of the facts depends the punish
ment by law. Why do you ask the twelve
ignorant men to unanimously agree upon
the facts when you do not ask your educat-
ed judges % agree upon the law. In the
Supreme Court, or the Court of Appeals, a
majority of the judges decide, then why
not a majority of the juryp In the Ives
case one obstinate, pigheaded Juror de-
feated the verdict of eleven men every way
his superior, and the whole story is told in
nutshell by one of the defendants coun-
sci when speaking of the case; WELL"
said he, 1.-THE prosecution will never be
able to convict him, for they have to get
twelve men and we have only to get one"
There it is, gentlemen; there it is; reform
your jury system and let a majority con-
vict.
Strange are the tastes of the people in
the way of amusements. Passing by one
of the numerous small dime museums
with which this city is afflicted, / saw in
blazing letters, "Tne only original Mary
Donnelly, whose assassination was attempt
ed by Mrs. Robert Ray Hamilton, and the
kuife used on that terrible occasion with
the blood marks on it, the whole secured
by this enterprising manager at the enor-
nous cost of one hundred and fifty dollars
per week." What is there in human ma
ture that seeks the qualification of this
horrible, morbid curiosity. The dime mus
cum man evidently understood it, for over
three thousand people visited the museum
the first day and he bagged three hundred
dollars, disbursing only twenty-five.
Only week ago man was assassinat-
ed by burglars in Brooklyn, and for week
after thousands of people gathered in the
street every day to gaze at the house al
though there was nothing to see but the
bare walls. On the day of an execution in
the Tombs the streets are crowded for
blocks with all the thieves, hoodlums and
disreputable characters that can be
drummed together for miles, and strange
as it may seem hundreds OF women with
shawls oyer their heads, struggle and fight
to get near the building though it Is utterly
impossible to get even the faintest glimpse
of the execution. The rope with which a
man has been hanged readily brings twen-
ty.fye cents an inch, and thriving busi-
ness is done in this direction by the few
men who have monopoly of the hanging
business
We are progressive nation, and the man
who fails to perceive it must be blind as a
bat. This thought was suggested to me
the other day while strolling up Fulton
street, Brooklyn. passed the handsome
building of the Young Mems Christian
Association, and suspended on the elegant
lamppost opposite the door was this startling
notice in flaming capitals, ''If you want to
see the latest baseball returns step inside" I"
| did step inside, not to see the baseball
returns but to make few inquiries with
regard 10 the institution. found that the
annual fee for the enjoyment of its numer-
GUS privileges was fifteen dollars Only
FIVE of this was for the use of the library,
the lecture rooms and the various enter
tainments given for the benefit of the mem
bers, the other ten. alas, was for the use of
the gymnasium where the youthful Chris
tians get up their muscle and study the
science Of knocking out. Don't let me be
understood that boxing is taught there
either b. the code of the English prize
ring or the Marquis of Queensberry rules,
for it is not, and in point of fact boxing
gloves are tabooed in the Y. M. C. A.,
curriculum; but blood will tell, and many
little scrap takes place In the quiet seclu-
sion of the dressing rooms now that John
L. Sullivan has made it patent the p. r. is
the broad highway to Congress. De world
do move; it do, 1t do.
Speaking Of John l.. reminds me Of his
gratitude TO thOse who have done him a
good turn, and 1t will be exceedingly en-
couraging to the men who seek to back
him in the future. When he was walking
about on his uppers previous to his fight
with KirAin, Charley johnson of Brooklyn
took him up, advanced Muldoon money for
his training, helped in every way that he
could and put up five thousand dollars of
the stake money battled for. II Sullivan
had lost the fight johnson would never
again have seen a cent OF his money which
was adyonced to Sullivan by way of a loan.
But he won the fight and Mr.. johnson
might bave drawn back his five thousand
dollars, leaving to John l.. the ten thous-
and belonging to the other side, instead of
which he presented John with his five
thousand dollars and q costly present be-
side. John l.. swore eternal gratitude and
the other night Charley johnson got up
boxing benefit for himself when John l..
volunteered 10 SPAR The house was
crowded, there was nearly four thousand
dollars taken in. but John l.. got drunk
and did not appear. Mr.. johnson returned
the money TO the ticket holders and lost
six hundred dollars on the expenses.
HooTay for the hon. gentleman from Massa-
booraY, hooray, hooray
Yours TRULY,
BROADBRIM.
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