The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1895-06-20
SALTWATER, MINNESOTA, JUNE 20, 1885,

witnesses for the prisoner without
means to pay the cost of subpoena, is
rarely granted by the courts. There is
a Supreme Court in each state to which
an appeal may be taken, but there
might as we'll be no such court so far
as the poor man is concerned. What
ever errors there may be, whatever
perjury, whatever misdirectien of the
jurors, whatever violation of the plain
statutes under which he is being tried,
there is no appeal for the poor man.
To appeal to the supreme court, he
must first pay to the stenographer of
the court, from forty to hundred of
dollars, for the copy of the proceedings
of the trial, against which he appeals;
he has then to pay his attorney, to COM
mence proceedings in arrest of judg-
ment. to apply for new trial, and to
take the case up to the Supreme Court.
This he is unable to do, for lack of
means, and no matter what injustice
may have been done him, he has no
remedy, and must serve out whatever
sentence has been imposed upon him.
In all these cases, society not only does
not do the prisoner justice. but actual
ly does him injustice, in not giving to
the poor man what the man with
money at his command, demands, and
obtains.
In the eyes of the law every man is
equal; every man is deemed innocent
until convicted Of crime. and to OBJ
tain such conviction, he should have a
: fair and impartial trial, with right OF
appeal, where just cause can be shown;
poor and rich alike, all equal, all on the
same level, in the same court. This is
, one of the duties which society owes
+ to the prisoner, and until society sees
: that it's duty in this respect is per
formed, it must be held responsible fol
any injustice done to the man. This
q is not only wrong to the prisoner, bu
it is wrong done against the spiri
+ and letter of the constitution of th'
q United States.
Q Now for brief moment let us SCI
Q how prosecution is conducted in I
II sister republic A man is ar
l. rested, say in Havre, charged will
|, grand larceny, or any other offense. H
II is taken before the yuge de INSTRUCTION
y corresponding to our justice of tn
IS peace This officer interrogates tn
r. accused, hears all he has to say, sum
Ell mons any witness who can testify il
S, his favor, in fact, hears all that is fo
)r or against the accused; and if he deem
is that there is sufficient evidence to cor
" Wet. sends him for trial before tn
,e Co,tr d' Assize Of that district. He
d: provided with efficient counsel, if h
rs has not the means to employ on
t. himself.
ut Some of the leading counsel {
~ France are appointed to defend pri
70 Oners who have no means. The prl
to oner is tried by jury, and let us sa
is he is convicted and sentenced. H
ly counsel demurs, on several points, an
re also states that the sentence is exec
ut sive; the accused is then informe
that he has thirty days in which to fl
in an appeal to the COur d Cdss0tiOD
re ROuen, the seat of justice. He a
ut peals. and is transferred to Roue
to where his appeal is heard before tt
at five judges of that court, and his sen
lie, ence is either reversed, committed,
lis sustained, as the case may be. A
,ty this is done without cent of expen
his to the accused, and in order to gi
IN to everyone accused in France
lat crime, a fair, full and impartial tri
,it- In our country the men with mon
by have all these privileges now. 1t
are only the poor man, who for lack
ey. money, has no appeal, and mt
will suffer the sentence that is il
de- posed upon him whether justly
IN unjustly. Who can tell the number
is the prisons in the states of this uni
y undergoing sentence, who would
of free men, if they had the means of {
of peal? This is one of the things socie
in has to do for the prisoner, see that
Injustice is done him, for if we suf
of Injustice to be done in the name of