The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-06-19

Lizzie Borden.
Even the honesty aud character OF the
witnesses are assailed with ssuch lack OF
discrimination as to the justice or i,,Jus-
call for comment. Much OF the criticism
upon the police officers was founded on
fact. Their incompetency ana snort
comings were patent TO all, not only py
their own testimony but oy tne'r own
acts during the Investigation OF the muir
ders and their previous ana suoseguens
political Affiliations. The police officers
are public ofiicials: the public nas the
right To comment on their recoru. Inc
value OF their testimony under sucn car
cumstances can be properly questiohea
Had comment stopped there these words
would have been useless. but II did not.
Criticism of witnesses.
1t was 30 easy to censure the ofnciai
witnesses of the prosecution, and he
practice became SO common that IL was
extended TO Include almost all witnesses,
both for the prosecution ana oelense,
and all the evidence that they gave. but
the height Of IL all has been reacneu In
the insinuatious against the candor OF
Emma Borden. The cause or the criti-
cism Is the excellence OF her testimony.
The suggestion OF insinceritv on the
part of Emma Borden Is quite un-
founded. No witness on the stanu mas
proved more conclusively the moral III
tegrity of her character. Her sole pur-
pose to speak only what was entireiy
true was plainly manifest IN every ac-
tion and word.
The Truth Must be Told.
She, Lizzie, aud Miss Russell were tne
only ones who knew of the burned dress.
1t was the most suspicious act Lizzie had
committed. All knew that 1t pointed
directly to Lizzie's guilt, when It was TOO
late to correct the error. III the three
Kept the secret 1t would harm no one.
Miss Russell had already done her pa U
toward concealment by decsivinR Mr.
Hanscomb. 1t only rem med Tor tue
three to maintain silence. Did they do IL
Emma and Lizzie knew the step they
were taking but they did not hesita,e.
They corrected the misstatement or MISS
Russell at once. They preferred truth
with all its possible chances to untruth
with its certainty of freedom. In their
own minds they would be honest IL oy
tueir acts they must appear guilty to the
world. The one who can impute an un'
candid thought TO such woman as that
knows nothing of truth itself.
Compliment to Governor Robinson.
Justice Dewey. who is expected to de-
liver the charge to the jury, was ap-
pointed to the bench by Ex-Governor
Robinson. His selection to deliver the
charge Is therefore q delicate compliment
TO the senior counsel OF the defeuse. JUS
ice Dewey Is said to b. preparing some
remarks on the theory OF exc usive oppor-
tunity. IL so they y i'll be very valuable.
Exclusive oppor, unity Is moss timely
evidence III it can be absolutely proven,
but il is most dangerous weapon when
there is the slightest doubt or It's GER
tainty.
Exclusive Opportunity"
Apropos Of exclusive opportunity there
have been some curious examples In
murder cases that illustrate its fallacy.
One OF them relates to the murder of a
German woman in Philadelphia. She
was found one morn nv dead in
.er bed in third-story room. la the
same bed was Iound also her husband
severely wounded by a dagger, but
his wounds were all such az he
could readily have inflicted him
by breaking in the door. All the en-
trance doors were found not only locked
but bolted on the inside. The same was
true Of the shutters on the windows.
The husband was at once suspected on
the tleory Of excus We opportunitv.
charged with the crime and imprisoned.
lie told story OF having seen some one
ia their room and being severely wound
d himself, but he could neither describe
his assailant or account for his escape
without leaving some window or door
unbolted.
A d stective took up the case, and first
visited all the prisons TO learn IL any
criminal had been recently dischar ell.
He ound that one had BEEN d sc harYed
h.. Aa n rJa Ia A Nd
served "a ten years setence for stealth :.
silver se vice from a church IL was
then learned from the husband hat
about ten years previously his wife hau
been the witness by whose testimony
thief had be- II convicted OF ealing
from IA church opposite their house. She
had happened to look out the windows
about midnight aud had seen Q thief.
"A detective in disguise entered The pIiso
where the thief had served his s..,tence.
After some eeks lie found tue coufid lnte
OF the man who hat been disc iarged
and learned that the latter had said he
would kill the woman who had test Il, d
gainst him il he ever got put. Tho clue
wa, followed, the man caught and co.,
victed. He afterward confessed al, state
tnat he had obtained entrance To the
house through "A thrd-story window
rom the roof. He had climaei up IA
f. ater scout of a house a half block
away. aud jumped from roof to roof ua-
til the proper house was reached, and ha
made his escape the same way. The
case was marvellous proof OF the utter
fallacy Of seemingly perfect exclusive
opportunity.
Another Case Instanced.
duch has beei also said at this trial of
blood sp,ttering. and the fact that Liz
ze's dress, face and hands showed no
sizns OF blood. A case is related by one
of the medical experts in this trial which
detracts materially from the argument
that Miss Borden Is necessarily innocent
because her clothes bore no traces of the
do d.. The case ci ed relates to young
man who attempted while in drunken
quarre, to kill his friend wi b
au iron CRATE shaker. The victims