The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-07
NOTES OF LEGAL Events


cides have been.committed in Richmond.couD-
ty. Ga. and only four of the murderers have
been convicted and put to death. All OF these
four we're negroes. Taking these and othersim-
liar statistics as their text, the leading news-
papers in Georgia are discussing the lax ell
fOrcement OF the criminal law in its bearing
upon the prevalence OF lynching. and many OF
them maintain that the courts are to blame for
not Furnishing homicidul crime with sufllci'nt
severity. They insist that II is hardly possible
that out OF nfty-six cases Of homicide there
sould have been only four which we're properly
punishable by the inniction OF the death pen-
ally. and they crticIse the Judges for per.
hitting undue delay in criminal prosecutions
and for setting aside convictions on trivial
grounds OF n purely tschnical character, not
affecting tho merits. There are SO many ahlc
md conscientious men on the bench and at the
bar in Georgia that united action on their part,
with the aid OF the press, which now seems
thoroughly aroused on the subject. ought to he
able to make the administration 81 the crmi-
NIL law SO effective as to leave no excuse or
rretence OF excuse for lynching.
The legal righ. to po,lute the waters OF
running stream hy emotying sewage into it
was asserted and in tho first instance success
fully asserted IN suit which has recently
vania. on account OF the bearing oil the Gcci-
sion upon the pollution OF the Schuylkill River.
from which Philadelphia derives its water sup
ply. George Y lost of Glen Rock. lh, con-
structed drain which carried his SO wage into
q stream which plies the city OF York with
drinking water. The State Board of Health
caused him to be sued for maintaining II nuis-
ance. but the Trial Court decided in his favor
on the ground that the inhabitants Of the dis
trict through which tho stream flowed we're
entitled to use II as common and public
sewer The Superior Court, on appeal. has
taken a different view. mo prescription or
usage" says Judge Orady, speaking fo- that
tribunal can justify the pollution OF n stream
by the discharge OF sewage In such manner
rs to be INJURIOUS to the public health" There
is distance OF twelve miles between the
mouth CT the drain and the city pumping sta
ton. but tins evidence showed that an increase
Of typhoid fever at York speedily followed an
outbreak Of that disease at Glen Rock. The
germs OF typhoid fever are probably often
transmitted further than this by running
water.
The right Of n grown person t abstain from
the use Of medicine. although by so doing 1t Is
reasonably certain that he causes his own
death. is now generally recognized in dis
cussions concerning the legal aspects OF Chris
tian Science and other similar systems of treat
ing the sick. On the other hand. the right to
deprive chlldrentJf ordinary medical treatment
and to substitute some form OF so called faith
cure therefor is generally denied. sad case
has recently occurred in Illinois. where a d.
vine healer. as she described hersef was called
In to cure q sick woman by means OF prayer
alone. The prayers proved Intellectual. and
finally the family called in some regular ply
10 hat Ilny Ia
have saved the patient II they had been called
earlier. The divine healer attributes her fail
ure to the fact that the PATIENTS husband did
not believe in her system OF divine healing.
III he had believed as his wife did" says this
person. she would have lived. God was
cry because he made fun OF the faith God
hates medicine" 1t would be difficult to find
q lower idea OF the divine attributes than that
EXPRESSED in this declaration.
Ivy Crabtree is the name OF young girl 10
years old who lives at Il place called Carmi. in
the State OF Illinois. and who is likely to spend
the remainder of her life in prison. She has
recently distinguished herself by poisoning
her brother. whom she did not intend to kill.
in an attempt to take the lIves of her father and
stepmother. who have recovered from the eff
fects of the rat poison which she put in their
coffee and cabbage. An elderly friend. toward
whom she entertained no animOsity. was pres
ent at the meal. and at last accounts was ex-
uected to die from the effects of the poison. The
reason which the girl gives for her crime Is
that her father and stepmother would not let
her do what she wanted to do" in some ways.
and would not let her see the baby rs often as
she desired. While she regrets the deaths OF
her brother and the old man. Who was so I'M
fortunate a guest at the Crabtree family table.
she deems them at fault for being in the way
when she wanted to kill her parents. The case
is one Of lack Of moral sense according to
modern views. which is best dealt with by per-
were executed on account OF Just such intel
leCtual deficiencies.
The announcement comes from Brattleboro
Vt. that there is likely to be contest over tho
will of the philanthropist Thomas Thorn psOn
OF Boston. who died in 1859. leaving u fortune
OF half million dollars to his widow for llfe
and upon her death in trust TO nay the net iu-
come for or toward the relief and support Of
poor seamstresses. needlewcmen and shop
girls who may be in temporary need from
want of employment. sickness or misfortune.
in-the towns OF Brattleboro. VT. and Rhine
beck. Duchess county, NY. the amount being
equally divided between the two towns"
Elizabeth Rowell Thompson. the widow, has
now died. after having for thirty years devoted
to charitable purposes the large income which
she received from her husbands estate That
estate has increased In value in the hands OF
the trustees until 1t is estimated at a million
and Mr. Thompson's heirs and next Of kin
have expressed their intention OF attacking
the trust which the will creates for the benefit
Of the women of Brattleboro and Rhinebeck,
on the ground that it Is too indefinite. The Til.
den will case is mentioned as an authority in
their favor; but it must be remembered that
the law in this State has been changed by the
Legislature since that decision 80 as to prevent
the failure OF testamentary provisions OF this
character by reason of their Indebtedness
A prisoners queer freak caused con sidera BILE
embarrassment last week In a criminal court
at Toronto Junction, in Canada When sent
for to be arraigncd. the man wa- found lying
in his cell with all his clothes OF. and he re.
fused to nut them on or 20 into court eyrcpt
as he was The officers had To handrulT MIN
and dress him by force In p,tun,, ,,u,,,.