The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-06-08
JUNE s. 1898.
4 paper is Democratic an principles and
fTdent in ITS uietcs on all local question
Chamber Inquisitions in Star
Cases.

X/XXXXX OnaUlDcE 1uQuiSktlOHS IA oNCA
Cases.
he of the issues that will be most
erly contested in the trial of Lizzie
hen for the murder of her father
stepmother is the question
Either the answers wrung from her
the State prosecuting officials IN
course OF a Star Chamber in
tsition can be used as evidence
hinst her before the jury which is
determine her tate.
n the decision of this point, the
ole future of American criminal
Fisprudence may De said to be in
lived. The matter at stake is in
alitv the continuance of the meth
Is and principles of the Common
hw in the conduct of criminal en-
hiries. The Common Law presup-
bses the innocence of the accused;
lays down the principle that 1t is
etter fifty criminals should escape
han that one innocent person should
buffer: it ordains that an accused
lerson shall be given the benefit OF
very reasonable doubt of his guilt,
and it requires not only that no COM
bulsion shall be used to make any
bman testify to his own injury, but
#also that if he is under suspicion he
shall be duly warned, before he is al
ylowed to speak. that anything he
4 says ma be used against him. This
is the Common Law as we inherit it
from generations of freemen, and this
is the protection which, in n case
after another, we see lapsing into
neglect and disregard.
When suspicion fell upon Lizzi lie
Borden, she was taken into a private
4 room by the trained lawyers and de-
| tectives of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts,. She was deprived of
the support of any friend, and even
|Aof.the protection of counsel. She was
there subjected for long periods OF
4 time to an inquisitorial examination,
a process of mental torture more
cruel than the physical agonies of the
rack and thumbscrews. 1t does not
appear that she made any damaging
admissions whatever under this hor-
rible strain; but she may well have
lost her head a little and made some
errors and fallen into some fnconsist-
encies to which an INSCRIPTIONS law
yer, working for a newspaper record,
as most lawyers do, nowadays, might
give an ugly Interpretation.
Now we have no pet theory as to the
guilt or innocence OF Lizzie Borden.
On the whole we think the case looks
pretty bad for her. We do not think
it impossible that some one else did
the murders, but as a mere matter OF
guessing we believe the chances are
five hundred to one she committed
them. But we cannot but feel the
most strenuous revolt against the
methods by which it has been sought
to convict her. It'll not on her account
that we exclaim against the inroads
which her prosecutors have made into
law, but on account of the millions OF
other men and ON whose liberties
do now and must in the future depend
upon the conservation of that system
of trial which has been the main safe
guard of liberty in both this and the
parent country.
O-1v n dox- m fxuo ona onnfhnl ~ nm
J happy woman, that Mrs. Guetter-
4 book, whose husband died somewhat
Eanysteriousiy from a pistol shot
round, last week, was dragged to the
3rivate office of the District Attorney
New York for a similar inquisition.
persons friendly to her were
rred out; her counsel were rigidly
lnded. Alone, and under pressure
IRENE terror, this weak woman
hubjected to the cruel cross ex-
ktlon OF the District Attorney
how much mercy these
and Jealous inquisitors
kelly to show her. There
o lawyer, their W
check their improprieties
kes; there was no court to
within bounds OF decency
evidence. There was no
could be conveyed in a
ich they might not use to
victims courage, and
ecret Of her life or her
hey might not touch
ing probe of their en-
process to go2 If it is
detection OF crime,
steal torture? II q
d one who is not a
pmpelled to furnish
or her own indict-
for his own con
ecuting officials
limit in this
9 inquisitions
and the
coounS IN