St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-03-24
PREMIUM UPON CRIME.

The laws delays have nowhere caused
more decentralization or been more con-
spicuous than in Chicago, where the ad-
ministration of justice has long been
mockery. In no city in the world is
crime as rampant and its punis hment
as lax as there. The criminal class is
bold and defiant. They openly boast
that hanging is PLAYED out" and do
not hesitate at the taking Of human life
on Slight provocation. If thief meets
resistance in his robberies he coolly
shoots his victim down, serene in the
consciousness that if he does not escape
punishment altogether his atonement
Will be light. If a husband seeks to get
ria or his wife,or lover of his mistress.
he seeks quarrel, and kills her. 1t is
almost as safe and inexpensive plan
as divorce proceeding.
The proceedings in the case of Prem
dergast, the assassin of Mayor Harrison,
are fair sample of the manner in
which justice is not administered in
chicago. The murder was a causeless
and unprovoked one, and Of far more
consequence than would have been the
murder Of a private citizen. He had
fair trial-prOtracted far beyond the
limits OF reason. Testimony was given
tending to prove his insanity. but was
regarded as unreliable by the jury.
Indeed. the prisoner repealed the insin-
uatIon that lie was mentally unsound,
and insisted that he had justification
for the deed. In process of time he
was convicted and sentenced to be
hanged. Appeal on his behalf was
made to the supreme court. That fri
bunal found the proceedings in his case
regular and without flaw. and refused
to grant new trial. The governor was
asked for reprieve or pardon, but he
refused to grant l.. Finally an infor-
nation was filed before minor Judge
charging Prendergast with being in
sane. and stay of execution was grant
ed for two weeks in order that his sanity
might be determined.
1t is rather extraordinary proceed
ing for circuit Judge to usurp the pre-.
rogative of the supreme court of state
to override its decision-as has been
done in this instance; but 1t seems to be
considered perfectly proper in Chicago.
1t has resulted in saving murderer's
life for few days. and that seems to be
one of the chief purposes of courts of
law in Chicago. There is now no doubt
of PTendergasps final escape from the
gallows. There are plenty of men who
can be found to swear that he is insane
medical men who are called experts
but all the testimony of such men will
not convince single honest man that
he was not perfectly responsible at the
time he committed the crime that
plunged the whole nation into mourn
ing. There are so-called alienists in
Chicago whose testimony can. be pro-
cured in any emergency to save the life
of desperate criminal. They make
business of such work. They have no
care for tie public veal. Justice is to
them an unknown quality. They are
beasts of prey. and for a fee will per-
Jure themS elves with no computations
of conscience, for they have no con-
sciences.
The Conghlln trial and the proceed
ings as to Prendergast have brought in
effable disgrace upon the administration
of Justice. They have shown how
farcical it is to endeavor to execute the
laws in that city. 1t Will have more
demoralizing effect upon the community
than if the walls of the Jail were RACED
to the ground and every prisoner set
at liberty. The public can feel no safe
ty. for they see the laws persistently
distorted for the benefit of transgressors,
while the vicious are made martyrs,
and those who would punish them are
placed upon the pillory as terrible ex-
amples of oppressors without heart or
humane instincts. 1t is perfectly safe
to be murderer in ChIcago-less haz-
ardous, indeed, than to be a respecter
of the laws of God and man.