The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-09
Tho Facts as Sworn To.

Ing as the London Times.
The great English journals report tn
evidence given In divorce trials with ex
IRENE fulness and PARTICULARLY. even whel
It relates to matters that are shockingly In
decent. Tho unspeakably revolving revela
lions OF the dixie case. for instance. wer,
| presented by them with much minute
ness, and their reports OF the man!
ecandnlous divorce trials which have dis
graced the aristocratic society Of England
during recent years have been Of O franl
completeness Of which our newspaper
furnish no examples. The London papers
proceed on the principle that In the inter
ests OF truth. Justice. and public morals The
evidence brought out In such q public pro
cceding should be laid before the public BY
newspaper which undertakes to be faith
full recorder Of the occurrences OF the day.
This is q view OF journalistic duty anc
propriety which deserves serious consider
alton. both because Of the great Importance
OF the subject and the high character and
remarkable ability Of the newspapers that
adopt such rule Of conduct. OF course
tho London Times cannot be sus.
pected Of any purpose OF pandering to
vicious tastes by publications Of this kind
1t Is governed by principle and an honor
able sense Of moral obligation. Moreover.
1t continues the practice without receiving
public censure and without outraging the
religious sentiment OF England.
Its theory is. undoubtedly. that only by
tho publication Of the evidence presented
the exact truth as to such cases be obtained
by the public. the circulation Of distorted
accounts prevented. and the consequent in
Justice and moral evil OF loose gossip and
scandal guarded against. Before the trials
the subject under judicial investigation has
always been talked about and whispered
about. to the damage Of social morality.
and the best corrective Of the evil is the
simple and exact truth as discovered by
the rigid application Of the laws and rules
Of evidence. Then certainty replaces con-
lecture and fact destroys the pernicious
power Of merely scandalous surmise and
malicious gossip and suspicion.
With US. however. this principle Is not fol-
lowed so faithfully by the newspapers.
They are more cautious and reserved in
their publication Of judicial testimony Of
this kind. Yet We acknowledge that it is at
would not be better protected by their fol-
lowing the English rule. II the evidence
which DR.. PARKHURsT was compelled to give
as to his visits to the lowest and vilest
haunts Of vice had been published In
full. 1t would have been an unspeakably re-
voting story. but 1t would have shown up
the complete moral insensibility OF the man,
and thereby useful and perhaps even neces-
sary service to morals and religion might
have been rendered. He would have ap-
peared to the public exactly as he is. and
they would have turned away In horror
from the repulsive sight.
But THE Sun could not soil Its pages with
such report We discharged our duty to
the public when we presented his original
testimony as to some Of his far less shame
full proceedings. To have gone further
would have been too repulsive. Rumors con-
corning his visit to one particular resort OF
vice were abroad. and the publication OF his
own sworn account OF what he did and saw
there was essential to the determination OF
their truth and his own character as man
and Christian minister. In form Of words.
too. his answers to the questions put to him
were not indecent. indecent as his con-
duct was. They gave the exact facts and
disposed OF vague and inaccurate rumors
whose circulation would have grown stead
lily widor and more pernicious as unauthen-
ticated scandal. DR.. PARKHuRsT protested
to be actuated solely by q plous purpose. and
1t was essential for the religious public to
have the facts as they were sworn to by
him In order to judge Of his conduct: but
we could not obey that moral obligation to
the extent OF printing his subsequent testi-
mony concerning manifestations Of human
depravity. OF which 1t Is q shame even to
speak. not to say to look upon. as he did.
From tho testimony Of this Presbyterian
minister on Thursday and Friday concern
Ing his proceedings In one OF the vicious
resorts visited by him. We mako these ex.
tracts as profitable for the consideration Of
the religious public:
Q-"Did you say Let ~ have soms,hips to DRINK p
Al think did.
Q.-"And you drank A-Id
Q.-"And the gira dranki A.-Ysa str.
o-"Dtd you have another round Of dr1nksi
Awe did.
o.-"wsrs the girls there with you Ayes.
Q.-"And did they drink with your A-Yss
o." you drank again with tbsmi Ayes.
o." And your friend ERvIso the Sabbath school
teacher. danced with one Of these women, A-Yss
o-"Did Jou ask EsvIso 10 stop dancing with that
woman A-No
o-"And After the dance was through the women
left the roomi Ayes
Q-"And you rsmAinsdi Aida
Q-"And more beer was sent for. and you. Q min
lister OF the Gospel then drank more besrs A.-Yss
] drank beer.
q-"you knew ths, those women were hsrloss,
Al aid when left
o"shs lone of the hsrlots said you threw your hat
n anh ek1a hsav ktnk.