Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1896-06-05
SPECTACULAR JUSTICE.
Comparison Between French and Enrlisl
Court Rooms.

Comparison Between French and English
Court Rooms.
NJ. Cruppi, the procurator's substi-
lute, in a paper on French assize court
trials, uses the Old Bailey as a foil to set
off the assize court of the Seine. =
sensational criminal draws to the
Palais dc Justice a brilliant crowd, who
come to be stirred and amused, as at q
play house. They expect alterations
OF weeping, laughing and blood-curd-
ing horrors. At the Old Bailey there
is nothing spectacular. The court is
dark, dingy hole, to which narrow
stairs and passages lead. Justice is
public, but the public were not thought
OF by the architect. But the press is
there. and it's presence constitutes pub
licity. This hall of justice is not as
spacious as the least large of the cor
regional courts of Paris. The one
place where there is elbow room is the
dock. The prisoner can move about
there, stand up, sit down, come and CO.,
Soldiers do not guard him. 4 warder:
sits in little corner pew, and looks
more Ikea scribe than jailer. One
soon sees that the prisoner is a sacred!
and intangible being. He discusses
from his notes in the tone of creditor
claiming a debt, and he may we'll do SO,
ior the proof of his alleged crime is due
to him: n table is in the lowest part
Of the dark, dingy hole. damned.
around it are counsel for and against.
They arc close to the jury. Theat1 ical
effects would be out of place here. The
air is thick with the all-pervading Lon
:'on fog. Nobody gesticulates. No
face lights up or shows any sort Of ami
nation. There is no rustic of elegant
tolettcs.
NJ. Cruppi points out that the Eng
'ish judge is witness of what witnesses
say, and arbitrator. but never accuses
He respects every right of the accused.
and, it need be, makes others do so,
too. Should he be nervous and cross,
the counsel for the crown will DE made
to feel unpleasantly his temper. Eng
lis]l barristers argue rather than plead.
They are SO close to the jury that if q
barrister in vehement gesture thrust
forth his arm he might knock over d,
Juror. The thing is to show a proof
or establish a point of law, and not to
produce an effect. The Old Bailey
jurors seem better suited for their
work than those of the Palais de JUS
tice. Their questions to the accused
and to witnesses are clear and to TIN.
point. One often wonders at their.
agreeing on a verdict. Every juror
seems absolutely confident in the wis
dom or fairness Of the Judge. He is
the sheet anchor. Witnesses may
have contradicted themselves and each
other, counsel may have puzzled them,
the prisoners counsel may have proved
black white, and the attorney general
strained many points, but the judge
is to declare what is true and fair. He
neddles with nobody, but keeps on talk
ing notes until he has to sum up. \
Juror feels his conscience may be a:
rest if he follow the judge in doubling
9 witness or doubling the whole. case
Of the accused. NJ. Cruppi further
says that it is well to understand Eng
land, but dangerous to initiate growth
and racy of the soil. None of her insti-
buttons is more worthy of sturdy than
trial hy jury, which France has had
for 100 years. but without the Englis!
judge.--LondOn News.