Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-02
CANNOT BE ARRESTED.
People Who, Under English Law, May
Laugh at the Police.

TON
The other day, at the Westminster, Eng.
county court, a warrant for the arrest and
committal of solicitor had to be extended
for four months more, as, though the So
licitor was walking about the streets in
sight Of the police, they dare not lay
finger on him. Even the judge seemed sur
prised that the man could not be arrested.
But it is probable he never will be arrested,
for as he carries a charm on his person in
the form of a brief, his body cannot be
seized.
This is because no one engaged on bust
ness at a law court can be arreste,4 for
any breach of the civil law. If you happen
to owe debt to have judgment deliv-
cred against you, and to be committed to
prison for not paying, of course you can
be arrested under ordinary circumstances,
but If you are Subpoenaed as a Witness or
even voluntarily attend as witness, you
cannot be arrested while going to the place,
while staying there to give evidence or
while returning home. And you may feel
sure that the courts will stick up for you.
There are many other people who can
of the royal family can be arrested under
any circumstances. The Prince of Wales
might ride his bicycle ito the common dam
ger" refuse his name and address, and
even cheek the copper, with perfect i'm
punity.
The Duke of York might ring up the fire
brigade, throw stone through a jewelers.
shop window, or even upset a constable
and no one dare run him in. The queen
herself can neither do wrong nor even think
It, SO that arrest of her majesty is not
within the bounds of possibility.
The queens servants have very great
privileges In that way. Suppose one of the
queens servants committed a crime by Or
der Of his mistress, he could not be pun
fsned. If the queen can think or do no
wrong of course any order her majesty
might give would be considered right.
Then, members of parliament. though
they can be arrested for some things, are
exempt In certain cases where ordinary
citizens would certainly be in. If q
member of the house Of commons commits
q crime he can be arrested like any other
citizen; but If 1t is case of contempt of
court, such as not paying debts, he can
snap his fingers at the police during the
greater part of the year. That is to say
he cannot be arrested while parliament is
sitting, nor for forty days before and forty
days after the session This gives him ex-
emption during about nine months Of the
year.
OF course, peer enjoys the same good
fortune, and so does a peeress in her own
right. But in their case the privilege is
still greater, for they cannot be ARRESTED
civil process at any time, whether
parliament Is sitting not. In fact, If
the heir to a peerage happens to be in
prison for any offense not criminal, he is
liberated the moment he succeeds to the
title.
offense, from drunkenness up to murder
without running the slightest risk of seeing
the inside of an English prison. And not
only have the ambassadors themselves this
privilege, out their secretaries, coachmen,
cooks, Wallets, ETC., equally favored in
dividua1s, for the theory is that an am
bassador is useless without his dinner his
drives, his shave, and the like.
When an ambassador commits crime
all that can be done is to ask his govern
ment to recall him. But, of course, If he
went about the streets knocking many peo-
pie down he would certainly be arrested
and held temporarily. But he could not be
tried and punished. The foreign ambassa-
doris house, family and servants are looked
upon as If they were In their own country
Under no circumstances could policeman
| or bailiH break into the house or arrest
any. of the Inhabitants.
Soldiers, while on service, could run up
debts. refuse to pay, and If a judge, after
ordering them to pay, without result, is
sued a warrant for their arrest and COM
initial, no policeman dare execute it unless
the amount was over $3.50. Navy men en-