Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-16
The Necessity for Law Reform.
ATLANTA Constitution)


The necessity for such a thorough re-
form of law i'm Georgia as will make
swift and speedy the execution OF justice
should not be handicapped IN It's IN
cipiency by limiting its intent.
At the recent meeting Of the Georgia
Bar Association. held In warm SpIlh ~.
there was a debate on the question:: rs
Lynch Law Due TO Defect I'm the Criml-
nal Law or It's Administrations
Coincident with the meeting OF the as
ISOLATION. the Constitution and other
newspapers OF the State had led in the
demand for law reform. This demand
was I'm no way connected with the preva-
lence of lynch law. and any such attempt
to so connect ii would be TO minimize
the demand and to lead people away
from the main issue.
The demand for law reform would be
as strong in Georgia to-day II II were
made morally certain that never another
instance of lynch law would be chroni-
cled. Lynch law IS but an exception. 1t
does not come into the lives Of the mass
es of the people. and, therefore, its eN-
istence or suppression Is not a living
question to the people at large But u Is
a living question to them when they
see an armed murderer Staying women
and children who IS able 10 surround
himself with such legal counsel ana
technicality that the power Of the State
is parayZed when Il attempts 10 touch
him. The people want the law reformed
so that when murder is committed
when a robbery is perpetrated. when an
embezzlement takes place. the courts
may be able TO get down 10 the
merits Of the case regardless OF techni-
caiity The people are tired of seeing
red-handed murderers crowding the
iails, who are able for one. two, and
three wears 10 defy the power Of the
State to bring them TO trial. Here in
Atlanta we have had an instance of this
kind. There never was more diaboli-
cal or more Wickedly-cOnceiVed murder
than that committed by young Myers.
His very defence convicted him, and
vet when the state. after trial vexa-
tious for the manner I'm which justice
was fought secured verdict of guilty,
the case was taken up TO the Supreme
Court. not on question OF merit but
on a question of technicality, and upon
this technically, which In nowise af-
fected the facts of the case, the murderer
was granted a new trial. 1t was owing
10 the delay thus made that ne found
time to escape. and justice was baked
in her own temple. Inere are other
cases at present prominent before the
neople where the delay Of justice is
nrhIic scandal rejecting credit upon the
energy of counsel. but showing most
clearly the paralysis Of the court.
I OF ms strip the issue of all external
surroundings and come down 10 the bare
fact that a law-abiding people want the
.rin,inals TO be punished They want
~ courts TO understand that they are
tribunals for the enforcement OF law.
and not mere Fairgrounds for attorneys
Who have pockets full Of technicalities.
,rbev want the Supreme Court TO be lin
;tn6 10 the least power possible, and
tbev want the superior court 40 be so
hroadeued and STRENGTHENED that It's YER
AZ once rendered will strike terror into
~ haert If the criminal. and thus serve
notice that the paralysis OF law in Geor-
ola Is at an end.