Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-25

IL Is generally accepted that crime in
ereases with the population. and to a GER
tain extent with the development of mod
ern conditions of city life. lii obedience to
the general law of compensation. which
operates to check almost ali of the alb
normal tendencies of these of days of So
ciai and political evolution, the natural
course would be for the community 10 IA
cisitatc its processes of justice to keen
pace with this Steady increase in the de-
nand upon the courts. The reverse how
ever, seems to he the case in most cities
a. a survey OF recent Years will amply
attest. II is TO be feared that the fun sig
niticance of such trials as that of Luetgert
in Chicago, Durrant in San Francisco and
N"liDeUX in New York. now in progress is
not appreciated by the public as bearing
upon the ability of the municipality or
the state I" hold its own against the crime
percentage.
One of the chief causes Of these extended
trials is the development of that modern
institution. the expert. Be it blood stains
or handwriting, or poisons, or insanity, or
any other broad field for theoretical evil
dcnce. the court finds itself enmeshed in Il
tangle Of testimony which has only one
definite result. aside from the wasting of
time and money, that of confusing the
jury. The elaboration of the experts func-
ton has brought 10 clear Conversations
1t is undoubtedly true that Justice Is more
discriminating now that formerly, and that
gftater care is exercised by society TO pre-
vent Judicial bldEiers. Certain modern IA
clittie+ 70" the commission of crimes. too.
tend 80 complicate the process. 1t seems,
however, hat the further into the expert
system the courts proceed the more diff
cult it becc mes to maintain the dignity of
the law and its punishments.
The Molineux case has now been before
the Court fOr forty-one days. and only one
ninth Of tn states witnesses have been
called half Of the time having been con-
sunled IN selecting jury by the ridiculous
process Of applying expert questions to the
talesmen. 1t is believed that with excep-
uunal diligence and the elimination of
some prospective cumulative evidence the
case OF the prosecution may be finished by
February /. No estimate has been yentured
as TO the date of the conclusion of the
whole case. although at the present rate
1t is certain to be upward of one hundred
and twenty days from the start. Thus
FULLY third of year is practically sure
to be consumed in this one trial, not count
ing the months which were spent in prepa-
iatioil, occupying the attention OF three
separate grand juries. And this Is only one
case out Of the many scores of homicides
which must receive the consideration of
the courts during the year IN so large a
city as New York, and the public safety
is endangered in certain ratio as atten-
ton is concentrated upon a few sensation
al affairs, while the more obscure and con-
vcntional crimes are sighted.
But the consumption of time is not the
only item in the heavy bill of expense
against the community. The money cost
Of these prolonged trials, with IA multitude
of witnesses and a long array of experts
Is prodigious. 1t is estimated that the
Molineux trial will cost New York no less
than $4,000 for the prosecution. II is of
course, highly important that the state
should solve such desperately suggestive
mysteries as a murder by mail, as a deter
rent TO prevent the spread Of this insidious
crime, but it may properly be asked, even
outside of the immediate jurisdiction,
whether there IS not u cheaper and shorter
method, which will afford an even more
striking object lesson in law and order by
enforcing the thought of the laws prompt
titude and certainty.