New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-22
THE LAWS DELAYS,

On Sunday August :. the Anarchist Anglo
lilo murdered the Prime Minister of SPAN. TN
Friday August 20. he was executed. we 90
moi know that even those malignant professors
of his creed who eNulted in his crime nave COM
rIoncd that the legal processes in his ease were
conducted with indecent haste. Certainly the
civilized world has not been shocked ,y the en-
cumstonccs of his trial The tribunal was
court-martial but there was no lack OF gravlt!
and dplirrration in its proceedings. He was moi
brouph, before il until the eighth day after the
death of his VICTIM when the rnreasonng pas
sion and tumut of the popuace had subsidized
He WAS defended by IN advocate who made a
u,vorful ulea for a benevolent Judgment. and
hc was allowed not only To have statement
read in hi, name but 10 speak IN his own be-
half 81 long as what he said was relevant 10
the issue After suitable consideration the SUI
prcme Council confirmed the sentence of the
court-marjal. but even then the final act was
not Immediately ordered. An interval of two
full DAYS was allowed for the settlement OF his
affairs and for the ministrations of religion
which ne rejected ON the third day he paid the
ueDaltv of his hideouS crime and the record
was closed.
ON JuIv > 1851. Gui,cau shot the President
|
fingered between life and death. but Oh Sep
TENDER ~ the. fact of murder was established
Rri net until October II did Guiteau plead 10
the indicuncn, which had been found against
HIM. On November II his trial was begun and
on January - he was convicted ON February
j 4 motion for u new trial was denied and he
was sentenced. During several days in May
arguments on bill of exceptions were heard
by The Court On June :; Il petition for a ~
hearing and on June - writ Of habea> corpus
were denied Al last. on June "a. TWO days
less than year after Garfield was shot and
more than nine months after his death Gniean
WAS executed. There j no need 10 dwell upon
the incidents of This proracied tlial the vast
accumulation of evidence important, and worth
less: the cloud of Witnesses the nceS>ant pub
lie discussion: the offensive displays which the
prisoner was allowed To make: the experts dis
crcdiiing one anolner the learned di>quiSitions
and the ignorant chatter about the conditions
and characteristics OF insanity: the inhammatory
nonsensr that was written and spoken month
after month and The agitatng fears that the
wretch might ultimately escape through the in
genious imbeclites of the law. Justice was
done ~ last. If the final acl in such procedure
can bc called Justice.
The trial of Guiicau i wildly recalled because
his crime monumental. but many prosecrI.
tions for murder in this country which are we'll
nigh forgotten have in all their stages lasted
longer II * a serious defeci of orr indicial
procedure that ii can he employed. and in cases
which develop sensational interest almost IN
varlably is employed, to make conviction Of
crime long and difficult and costly business
and TO postpone lis punishment Indefinitely Be
vond doubt the realization Of this fact is pro-
duclng much popular discomfort ana melting a
snlrl, of rebellion against system which is
susceptible of such abuse. We confidently be-
Ieye that the laws delays, Inspiring contempt
rather than terror in the minds OF criminals and
leading 10 "A common apprehension that The
guilty may escape. are the chiet caiise Of III"
prevalence and The audacty OF lyncherS. ana
one Of the most serious dangers which threaten
the stability Of American INSTITUTIONS Judge,
and lawyers alike admit. more often III private
conversation than in public DISCOURSE me real