The morning call., 1893-04-02
THE DUTY OF A CITIZEN.

r., IF. School Director Carew adheres to his
.:putpOse better conception of the law Of
;:evidence may prevail. This gentleman
:lqfeFy stated to the Grand Jury that be
:. had been approached by a certain person
who. said that there was $1,000 in it if
certain teacher could be promoted from
class leadership to aprincpalship." Being
asked for the name of the person, he de-
clined to answer, adding that 1.-THE person
was friend of his, and that he was ready
to suffer any punishment that might be
Emficted upon him, but he would not an
swe1 the question" Subsequently he is
p: said to have stated to a reporter that he
could not give the name Of the gentleman (?l
who Rpproa ched him without injury to him
and the loss of the good opinion of his fel-
low-citzens. The case having been brought
by the Grand Jury to the attention OF Judge
CARRIER, he ordered Carew TO show cause IN
Wednesday next why he should not be COM
mitted for CONTEMPT.
Mr. Carew is acting under 4 misapprehen-
sion of the duty of citizen. Every citizen
is bound to assist the constituted authori-
ties in the detection and punishment of
crime. That is one of the first conditions Of
organized society. The citizen who screens
-cTfme by keeping the secrets of criminals is
: In q sense an aceomplice. No criminal can
claim that revelation Of his wrongful acts
Oh Intentions is confdential; that would be
compelling an outsider to become his con-
.f5derate without his consent. The duty Of
:. citizen when he learns that crime Is
about to be committed is to state what he
knows to the proper officers. He cannot
neglect that duty without mourning sus-
picIon of intending to be q partlcipator in
the crime. So far from losing the good
opinion of his felIow-citizens by disclosing
his knowledge, he would certainly forfeit
the respect OF all decent men if he kept 1t to
himself.
In this case Mr.. Carew was approached
by a party who proposed to brihe a School
Director one of the most heinous of
modern crimes. Mr.. Carew was too honest
TO take the bride himself. But ne left the
briber free to try other members Of the
board, and, for anything the public knows,
enc of them may have taken the tribe. If
so, a crime was committed which Mr..
Carew might have prevented II he had acted
like a conscientious citizen. Nay more,
this same party who had $1,000 at Mr..
CaTew's disposal may be in the business Of
bribing. School Directors. A man who
engages in one job of that kind is likely to
attempt it again for the sake of the commits
sion which he would receive on the transac-
tioD. He may be a regular broker in ap-
pointments and promotions of school
teachers. and his Vaccinations may be the
reason why so many worthy teachers fail
TO get appointed or promoted. His opera
lions have been rendered possible by the
weakness Of Mr.. Carew in keeping his
secret.
It is time that witnesses were taught that,
H.
lege, they are bound to assist the courts in
discovering the truth by telling all they
know frankly and truthfully. 1t is time
that an example were made. In the very
paper which records Mr.. Carew's recalci-
trance, there Is police item describing the
robbery Of an old man by two female foot
pads. One held him by the neck, picked
his pocket, and handed his wallet to the
other. who made her escape. The thief
was caught, but she utterly declined to re-
veal TO the police the name Of her accom-
pliee. Thus the victims chance Of recover
ing his money Is small. Refractory wit
nesses justify their attitude on the plea that
% TO betray the guilty party would be q
breach Of confidence. There can be no con-
fdence between a knave and an honest man.
Between thieves there may be confidence,
none between the lawbreaker and society
or its members.
Mr.. Carew may be panied TO hear that in
an age not so very long ago witness. taking
the position he does. might have been so
treated that he would have required his
professional services. He might have been
laid on floor and heavy iron weights piled
on MS chest until he testified or died. Or,
in some countries. he might have been
stretched until his arms were pulled ont of
their sockets, or the bones of his thumbs
might have been crushed between steel
wedges till they were ground to fragments.
Civilization and the constitution forbid any
such misuse Of the body of Mr.. Carew.
who we believe is worthy citizen where
he understands his duties; but he must not
let his erroneous notions of morals stand in
the way Of the due punishment of crime