Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-06-21
A DANGEROUS Doctrine.

advanced that drunkenness is mental
| disease, and therefore the drunkard
should not be held responsible for
| crimes committed under the influence
of liquor. The thoughtful citizen Will
readily appreciate the menace of such
a doctrine If allowed by our courts,
order-and furnish broad and easy
avenue, through which criminals might
| escape the just consequences OF their
| offences 1t is a far more dangerous
doctrine than even that of emotional
| insanity" which enabled Kelley, the
brutal murderer Of Cashier Stickney,
at Somersworth n. H., TO escape the
galIows. and which justly called forth
a storm of righteous protest from the
best citizens OF the Granite State.
There has been a growing tendency
on the part Of the courts of this coun-
| try to deal more and more leniently
| with crime, and juries are frequently
and VIGOROUSLY lacking in the courage
to do their full duty for the protection
of society. There is often a repre-
hensible carelessness upon the part of
town and municipal authorities in pre-
raring jury ists-and it is matter or
common knowledge that not infre-
Guently men are chosen to sit upon the
! important cases Of a term of the su-
! preme court, whose own neighbors
would never think of selecting them as
| lar bill This is wrong. II is menace
| to society 1t breeds contempt of law
| The strongest, cleanest, ablest men in
a communicative ones whose own
neighbors have confidence in their in
tegrity and soundness Of Judgment
are the ones whose names should go
upon the jury lists. We know that
such men are apt to be busy, and that
they frequently endeavor to escape the
responsibilities of the jury box; but
| they are the men whose judgment is in
demand in our courts, and who alone
should be selected to pass upon the i'm
| portant causes submitted there.
| 1t is evident to the most casual OBJ
server Of events that crime is not pun
| ished. in the present day, with either
the promptness OF vigor that was for
merly the case. although it is doubtless
| true that, owing to the perfection OF
modern methods Of communication,
greater percentage Of all criminals are
brought to trial. one has only TO keep
a close run of the newspapers of this
| country to appreciate the extent 70
which mawkish sentiment on the bench
and in the jury box avails to save
criminals from the just punishment of
their offences To this fact must
largely be attributed the alarming
growth Of mob violence, which is
simply the attempt Of the community
to protect itself by taking the law into
| its own hands, and making sure that
| offenders against its peace and safety
are promptly punished. 1t is, in effect,
an expression of lack Of confidence in
the ability or disposition Of established
courts to deal effectively with thu
| criminal classes.
| Gradually new loopholes have been
discovered for the escape Of law break
ers and new methods evolved for pro
longing the laws delay" Every step
in this direction has been menace to
the safety of society; every one has
operated to undermine the popular re
spect for law, and the general conf
dence in the established methods Of
administering it.
The admission Of the plea Of emo
tional insanity in the case of Murder
cr Kelley in New Hampshire was one
of the severest blows ever given the
cause of law and order in that state
We question if the combined efforts Of
all the saloons in that state have been
able to accomplish as much for tht
promotion of crime. To what extent ii
will be worked in years to come for tn
protection of similar criminals we car
only conjecture.
In view of these things we can but
appreciate what a dangerous doctrine
is that which it was sought to invoke
| in the interests Off Murderer Parks
The idea that drunkenness is a mentl
disease, and that therefore those 7wht
suffer from it are not to be held re-
. sponsble for their acts. is a prepostcr
Y Gus one. If it We're once admitted
e every man who permeditated a Grim,
t could be depended upon to first provide
Y a way of escape from it's just conse
: quences by getting drunk
# We hold that a man who commits
# crime, while under the influence 0
# liquor is doubly responsible. He i
\ BAD CoMPlEXI0NS