New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-20
RUSSJAN METHODS IN NETWORK.

Investigation of the case OF Louise Lachat,
the French maid who was arrested and kept
in prison several days because her employer
had mislad some diamonds. indicates that the
mowers of our Police Courts and our police
detectives are sometimes shamefrlly abused.
There was never any sufficient evidence for the
arrest of the maid. The diamonds were miss
ing, but there was not shred of proof that the
maid had stolen them. Nevertheless, inc
friendIess and defenceIess girl was treated with
a brutality and cruelty quite similar 10 the
mediaeval method, when it was the custom TO
arrest innocent people on Suspicion, ana 10
wiring from them by torture confessions OF
crimes which they never committed
The accusers of the French maid had wealth
and influence. The unfortunate girl had
neither. So she was kept in prison with the
intention of breaking down her spirits and ex-
torting damaging admissions from her. Not
even when the diamonds were found did this
persecution and injustice cease. The Police
Court which committed the prisoner, holding
her in bail so excessive as to be outrageous,
was not willing even then to let her go.
Anxious only to shield the wealthy accusels,
who had borne false witness against the prls-
oner. the court still further deprived her OF
her liberty until the case had been taken up
by the Grand Jury and the charge had been
dismissed. No effort was made to redress the
wrong which had been committed, but by trick
ery and deceit the young woman was deuded
into signing a paper, which she did not under
stand. by which she bound herself not to sue
for damages for false Imprisonment. OF
course. the civil courts will brush away in
moment any defence which may be set up to
an action for false imprisonment on the basis
of a paper so plainly procured by improper
means. After she had signed the paper the
generous employer of Louise Lachat, who had
been irving to ruin her reputation and to make
a wreck of her life, and who had kept her in
prison for three days, gave her dollar. A
liberal bounty, indeed
Now the accusers of Louise Lachat, and the
detectives who made the unwarlanted arrest
are trying to excuse themselves by asserting
that the maid must have stolen the diamonds
and must have hidden them in the bed-curtalns
when she was taken to the house in the charge
of detective. A probable theory, indeed
| What was the detective who had her in charge
doing while the maid was hiding the diamonds
in the bed curtains? Every fair-minded per-
son who has studied all the facts brought out
in this case must come to the conclusion thai
the whole affair is a disgrace to the Police
Justice and the police detectives concerned in
| it. and discredt TO the haSty and reckless
accusers of Louise Lachat. 1t is time for PO-
| lice Justices, detectives and accusers alike TO
| learn that Russian police methods are not to
| be endured in this country that warrants are
| not to be issued and arrests made without some
| roasnnable basis of evidence and that innocent
people are not TO be kept in prison merely to
| suit the convenience of rich and influential
prosecutors who desire TO avoid an action for
damages for false imprisonment. The Police
Board ought promptly to investigate the doings
of the detectives who are implicated in this
affair." and to find out if their excessive and
| ill-iudged zeal Was stimulated TO feveriSh heat
by any promises of rich rewards; while the
higher courts would do well to look into the
extraordinary proceedings OF the Police Justice.