New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-12
THE JORY WERE TRIED.

Well, there was trial anyhow. Not Of In
spector Mclaughlin. perhaps, but OF twelve other
men, And they were sorely tried. One OF them
had been in the Sheriffs custody for nearly full
month before the trial began; the rest for a
longer or shorter period according to the order
in which each was found to be ignorant enough
10 be trusted 10 hear the testimony and give an
impartial verdict thereon During all this time
the twelve good men and true had been much
more closely watched, Kept under strictcr sur
yeillance subjected to greater harlshps and prl-
yations than any condemned malefactor under
going punishment or awaiting execution. They
were detained from their occupations, deprived
of their freedom. cut off from social intercourse
and domestic joys, and treated in all respects as
outcasts with whom communication was FORBID
den under heavy penalties. And this had been
preceded by an examination and crossexamina-
ton and general overhaulng which turned every
one Of them inside out, exposing to public gaze
his antecedents. his associations, his political
social and domestic relations concluding ilnally
with an agreement on the part OF the court prose
cutting officers and attorneys for the defence'hat
the accused-nO, not the accused, but the Juror
who was to try the accused-did not take Interest
enough in current events TO have either prepos-
session or prejudice or to form an opinion
about subject which for twelve months had
engrossed public attention more than any other
The twelve men have been tried. They had
done nothing, SO far ms was known TO subject
them to the impertinenccs and indigniiies which
they were compelled 10 suffer at the hands OF
attorneys who indulge IN that sort Of thing IN
der the shelter Of professional privilege, and
certainly nothing that justified their being cut
m from communication with their fellow'ne''
for a period ranging from one 10 four weeks
Hut II IN possible that they may iind comfort ~
tho reflection TINT they have been made vcnr'
ous sacrifice. by means of which Inspector Me-
tnurhlin and through him tho whole Police
force ana Police system Of this town have rc'
ccive1 vindlcatlon II remains 10 DO said. how
ever that the public Judgment has been 10
illuminated during the last twelve months con-
corning the beauties Of the Police system and
the merits OF the Police force that neither the
acuuittal nor the failure TO convict any Of Its
representatives or officials will I'm the slightest
degree darken or change It, 1t has not been so
much Mr. Mclaughlin as the existing jury sys.
TEN that has been OH trial for the last month. And
we believe the public mind Is fully made up that
no more dismal travcsiy Of justice, no more COM
plete subvcrson of the intent Of the statute, ever
passed under general observation than that
which has been going on for the last month in
the Court OF Oyer and Termner The result
Of the trial Is the disagreement Of the jury
and their discharge by the Court. And
this, 1t Is said, will be followed by dlscon-
tinuance Of all the Police prosecutions. Does
any one who followed the reports Of the Lexow
investigation believe that this result will accord
with the ends Of Justice?
Meantime long procession of perjurers who
walked to the witness-stand and with calmness
and deliberatlon sworc falsely-nOt falsely be.
cause contradctcd by others, but falsely because
they tied themselves up IA falsehoods-are still
wearing the uniform and drawing the pay OF
pOlicemen-paid 10 enforce the law which they
have fagrantly violated themselves-and no step
Is taken, or thought Of being taken, by the prose-
cutting officers to call them to account. Two
questions arise. Is the existing Police system so
cemented In perjury that its members cannot be
reached by the ordinary processes Of law? and
Is the present Jury system Outworn and ObsO-
lete? In short, who pay the penalties for what
everybody knows to be the offences and crimes
Of Policemen; the Policemen themselves or the
honest citizens who are unfortunate enough to
be summoned upon juries TO hear the testimony
against them? From present appearances the
jurymen are tried and the accused 50 free.