The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-09
IIRGINlACRIMINALLAW
gGfT SJBJECTABLrD DISCUSSED BE
fORE THE BdR ASSOCIATIONS.
Report Of the Committee on Legal Educa-
tion-in Memory of the Late Francis
Al. Misunderstanding Session.

OF tho Virginia state Bar Association
prcned this morning with an address by
Il. Walter Moore, OF Fairfax county, en-
ti,led Some Views on Criminal Pro
cedurc" The paper showed evidences OF
great care and thought in its preIai"-
sion. and Outlined some much-necded r.
forms in Virginia criminal law
Mr. Moore first discussed the Injustice
of old penal systems. that resulted from
a confusion Of the judicial and legislative
nrctiors. and Of the great -eactios' that
rrior TO the beginning of the present cen
fury brought about "a definition OF OF
fences ana the establishment or the
principal that no man shall pc ttis. So.
ViCtcd. or punished except Ut s'i!tt pUl
suance Of law in force az the uhlt On
tre crime alleged against him. lie spoke
Of this as the assertion or the ilsHt ya
the individual and pfpcitina'i"i On, On , tI.
sweetness and prlceieasNesS Oh i"u'' ''"''
liberty.
FATAL DEFICIT.
10 ,hor described the reaction as hav-
Ing gone beyond It's legitimate limits ana
having produced evils that can no" oh'y
be corrected by vigorous counter HioNe nov,
ruont lie spoke or thtse fFils III 'v",
,,.ottou with criminal procedure, anu
~neciaa3 the lack of celerity lh mdhNh
a fnal disposition Of criminal cases aS
tbe most radical and fatal defect. Io
mis- defect" said he, lis due the escape
- r,.rv ,sro should be punished, and
tbus ms criminal class is emnol ienei ana
ircroesed 10 10 is partly due the moipia
s.rfimonf Of sympathy for gulty H.en,
as month after month ana EcaI .a,SSr tS
~ear mass ample time being given, Etii
yrierd. manage 20 sufr)1hd thein WIN
= eickly halo Of martyrdofn, ana 70 II ls
due the disgust and excitement tlat 10
often disturb ordinarily cdlm ana PeaaS,e
f,i communities. and lead them 70 'nillct
he penalties Of the law without NalNhs
for the courts 10 take acton III rs blaleu
(ani n the statement pe uue, Wnot ~
history show a prccedeh; D mat IN tile
Ifnit.d Sfates in The year 1892 there We're
= -qf homlcilcs. 2l5 lyncnines, ana lVi
executions. and that IN the zen NeaIs
srom 1888 90 1892, the average mas peen
Two lvnch'nes 20 one execution. 10 ne.
i.v is aruarent from start 90 tnish, but
A. As most apparent at the start ana al
the finish iu the matter OF rt''iie 70
frgal and lu tho matter OF arriving AT
t,9cr~er, fhat will stand unreversed and
81 carried out with some degree Oh
promptness.
NO DELAY.
,rhe sneaker then referred TO the pro-
visions that are made IN france dnv
Trgland TO guard against ".,"sS ,,.,,, "i',
declared that they were hvt PlN .,.
.o funnecuf men. and resulted IN 10 mus
lice, lie illustrated the necessity OF le-
form in the procedure or Nlii'i i lDo.
courts hy citing many Nii@4ii" ~.
which have gone slowly from court 10
crurt judgments and IcVersdls OF JUS
1,erfe alternating in "a long procession
Tie suggested that the movement ~
reform would take into consluela,lo" IN,
rropriety of making the pfosecuuis o,.
cers salaricd officials Of the Slatti on ~
ef.iinr ON a more swift ana ulllscnl in
vestlention OF offences OF lndlclH''i'S ~"
ing more quickly found, III ht'u W -
placing other and more lcdiitu yu"S a..
In the tral courts, ana OF shaiPis =.
sfricting the right or appear 80 ~ az
avoid reyersals for mere techmcal 'lIV,.
la conclusion he strongly uised uPon
lawyers their duty to aid IN accoinp,,i91i' ht
n reform so imperatiyely demanded "S
Mr. Moore's effort received much
favorable comment.
1fcAL rDUcATioN.
At IT'S close President C. NJ. BlackIonu
announced that the report OF the commit
Zee on legal education and admission
10 the bar would be taken up Tor con
ellarafiou The committee reported IN
favor of securing a law apollshlns tIo t
present method of licensing pfacuohvls
and suggested that the whole matter
should be entrusted either 10 "a com
mission for each congressional district
or the Court OF Appeals Ihese pueS-
ti0ns evoked "a lively debate IN Mnivn
! Messrs r.. T.. Parrish. r. It. W. Duke
| James LYONS. b. B. Munford, ID. {.
O'Flaherty. a. J. Montague, g. \. Graves
Y and others participated. IL was pIcls
EfuDIuIIA dliNIlItl NIui tii' IA'0' ''N
em was a very poor one but Just "Hdt
to substitute for 10 was source OF great
perplexity 10 the legal Solons-
Several systems were proposed Winch
Would exclude from the bar lSnor"nt
Lnd unworthy members. hut nnaly II
was resolved 10 instruct the committee
TO prepare "a draft of suitable act 10
bo submitted 20 the legislature, cnlrust-
ing the whole matter 10 the Sourt ~
Appeals The present system OF oNaml-
knatIOu hy two circuit judges ionn1 +"
Bsoltay friend I'm judge Edmund W au-
tnl. Ir who considered IL Impossible 10
iluce the legislature TO give dddiuonai
\ hy 20 the Court OF Appeals for the extra
1i0rk and ungonerous TO saddle the
ctst ON the candidates for licensure.
1He LATE FRANCIS II. M'GUIEr.
khe next subject taken up was me
uhrlals of deceased members MI j. *;
VI Daniel read the following memoiigi
ht honor Of The .amented trahcis j.
Is MfMoRIAM.
Al different times within the last few
veast We have been called on 10 dcplore
The boss of veterans OF the bar-iawyers
OF Sm.ucnce. who passed away old IN
Ncarts and ln hOrors. AT this hour we
conference.-the one. who. in the prime OF
life land Vigor. yet having reached the
foremost rank of our profession. ended
his Sareer I'm the very midst Of his use
ful AID honorable lahors.
Fralcis Howe Mcclure was born on
The 4ih day of June. 1870. in Mecken-
burg bounty. Va. and died on the Soth
day q October. 1894. lie was the son
Of the tRev Francis II. Mcclure min
ister oil the Protestant Episcopal Church,
and on Mary Willing Harrison, De
sccndant OF Benjamin Harrison. of Berke-
lev. The history OF this toO-short life
IS one conspicuous in many ways. Espe-
cialiv was h a life Of faithful work. OF
unceasing labor AT the age when many
young mln are ftting themselves al
college. in academic and legal schools Tor
the practice of their profession. he was
teaching school. in order 10 obtain the
means. when the opportunity should come
Of receiving the instruction which he
desired above all things. lie taush'
faithfully and studied intensely, lived ap-
stemiously. yet contributed 10 ,he sup
port OF Others near TO him; and in time
H. obtained his desire. acquiring az the
University OF Virginia academic learn
Ing and later instruction IN professional
lore. from the grand old teacher of the
law. who has 80 recently entered into
rest. whom all Nirginians reverence, ana
lawyers everywhere are proud TO nanle
"a their prcceptor
His professional life OF only twenty
years was passed IN Richmond Va. In
SIS commencement, IL was without the
help Of wealthy or influential connections.
il was a struggle. singlo-handed and
alone. against poverty, against the dis