The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-11
A CASE TO BE LOOKED INTO

A CASE TO BE LOOKED INTO.
1t is altogether remarkable case which
is prevented by the arrest and conviction
in Minneapolis of young woman of good
attachments and standing as profession
al singer. on the charge of petit larceny.
TIE girl was evidently In want at the
time the charge was made against her.
But the facts Of the alleged larceny, so
far as they can be judged from reports,
were not quite consistent with any GRIM
inal intent. Indeed, the facts of the en-
tire transaction, out of which grew her
possession of the jacket which was made
the subject Of the charge, and tho
charge itself, are not easily comprehen-
sible.
1t IS more than doubtful whether the
young woman could have been convicted
Of larceny on the mere possession of the
jacket. together with the evidence Of
the owner. as against the explanation
tended by the statements of the police
that she was a woman of disreputable
character, there was hardly any recourse
left open to the court, if it believed the
policeman's testimony, but to commit her
to the workhouse on the non-payment of
the fine imposed
Except among known conscientious
members of the police force the tmputa-
ton Of dishonor cast upon a woman I'M
der arrest by a police officer is of no
more value than the dicer's OATH Expe-
rience shows that not all officers who are
daily called on to lift their hands in
the taking of an oath in a police. court
have any rational sense Of the sanctity
of the oath they take. Was this young
woman's liberty sacrificed and her char
acter blasted by such testimony? Unless
the officer or officers testifying as to the
girls character were known to the court
to be under all circumstances worthy
Of absolute credence, or unless the evil
dence as to the character was given with
such circumstantial fullnesss as to carry
conviction with 1t, there was a cruel
wrong done IN accepting it at all, or in
allowing 1t to influence the action of the
court. This is more especially the case
If the original testimony as to the COM
mission Of the offense was itself at all
open to question.
The fact that the young woman has
been released on the payment Of the fine
by her friends adds to rather than takes
away from the. possible Injury done her.
1t confirms the charge against her, and
fastens the imputation of guilt more Sc
curely even than if she had served her
sentence. If, as is intimated will be the
case, Mayor Gray takes the matter I'M
der consideration, it will be in his power
to undo what may involve a grievous
wrong. He can make an independent ex-
animation into the facts, we presume,
by virtue Of his authority over the
police department. If he should find that
there is any substantial doubt as to the
credibility of the testimony as to the
larceny itself, his official declaration that
NAAN AAACAS IO0NiAltO4lJ VI d pOlAC6 Oll1CeI DIS
to character, whether we'll or i'll founded
does not constitute confederation in any
true sense will help materially to relieve the
young woman of the imputation of being
thief. IT, on the other hand, he finds
that the testimony of the officer or Of
f1cers in the case assailing the woman
character IS not well founded, he has 1t in
his power to do the woman much needed
hoped that the mayor will make the
whole matter a subject of Independent
investigation.