New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-16
no MERCY FOR WH4NE.

| The Jury in the Mckanc case has rendered
verdict Of guilty with Il recommendation 10
mercy When the trial opened ii was currently
reported AT the Brooklyn City Hall That NC
Kane had two of the jurors We PAID no hecd
10 the rllmor. although intimate associates or
Mr.. Mclaughlin were said TO have originated
il: but the story was revived by the protracted
struggle in the juryroOm i'll which one Is Salu 10
have held out against eleven ana finally 10 nave
surrendered. after forcing the recommendation
for mercy rs 4 comprcmisc We do not know
what weight the recommendation will have
with Justice Bartlett in mitigating the SEN
tnncc The penalty prescribed by law can
moi he less than two years in State prison
nor more than ten years. If ever criminal
deserved the maximum penalty. this lawbrcakcr
of Graycscnd has earned il by his insolcnt def
ance of the authority Of the courts ana by MS
audacious rebellion against the State. II Is
however, Il great gain for good government ana
public morality that Il conviction was secured.
The best argument which Mechanics counsel
could make in summing up the case was plea
for sympathy for his clients family. judge
Tracy, in his powerful address for the l'r"secu
tion met this sentimental appeal with incxo
rablc logic. He declared that no head ot Il liih-
iy can fall without blasting the lives ana
breaking the hearts of those who are innocent
and near and lear TO him. but that was mat
ter which IL grown. deliberate man ought 10
consider before entering upon course of crime.
when a man." said the eloquent counsel, Ill
famed by ambition. or 10y love of power. strikes
at the heart of his country, commits treason
against liberty and seeks to inauguraie in this
land Il system which will not only disrupt fam
lilies but break government and destroy the
hpr
have been reared, and which have given pros
perty to IL people; when he enters upon that
system Of crime on SO gigantic scale as to
startle citizens from one end OF this country
to the other, he must bear the consequences
which he has brought upon himself That
WAS well said McKane deserves neither sym
pathy nor mercy from bench, jury or public
opinion.
ON other grounds the recommendation for
mercy ought to pass unhcedcd. Mckane was
an oudacious nwbreakcr last November. insti-
eating conceang and defending the most out
ragcous registry and election frauds and chal-
longing and dcfying the authority Of the courts
In the town Of which he was the dcSpolc ruler.
He acted for all the world as though Concy
Island had gone adrift in the Atlantic from
the jurisdiction Of the State, and his sovereignty
was absolute over il. There never was more
insolcnt campaign Of treason and revolt against
public law When he was called before the
bar TO answer for his crimes he continued III
omen court his processes Of lawbrcaking. Con-
victing himself Of perjury when he testified, he
WAS followed by Il swarm of creatures from
Gravcsend who violated their OathS in wanton
disregard Of public dcccncy and cOlnmon-scnSc.
Pcriurcd testimony is very common In political
trials but there has not been III any other
case which we can now recall such mass OF
monstrOuS perjury as has been produced on be-
half of McKanc. 1t was a notorious lawbrcak-
cr'S only resource: perjury false on its face and
utterly incredible; and that was another and
most dccStablc form Of lawbrcaking.
This peculiarly offensive and characteristic
method of defence ought 10 exclude Mckane
from any sentimental appeals for light sen
tence. Justice BartIctt's manner and express
sions Of amazcmcnt during the trial revealed
his own attitude toward the pcrjurcrs, who
swarmcd into court from Gravesend to swear
their tongues out of their mouths. II there were
need, in order to serve their licgc and master,
King John. Surely an example ought 10 DO
made of this gang Of pcrjurcrs. The courts Of
justice are foucd every day with the testimony
Of witnesses who have no regard for the sane
tity Of an oath. Brooklyn M present is Il city
on a hill, and it's light shines far and wide. II
is furnishing object lessons Of good government
and robust citizenship which the country needs
to learn Can it not take these pcrjurerS in hand
and punish them for violating their oaths!
The effect of n series Of convictions for perjury
would be most wholesome and salutary in
purifying the administration Of justice through |
out the land.