The evening times., 1900-08-01
The Paterson Murder Conspiracy.

ment
The Patterson Murder Conspiracy.
Developments in the matter of King
Humberts assassination appear to leave
little if any doubt that it was the outcome
OF a conspiracy Matched among Italian An
archists In Paterson. New Jersey, at the
instigatiOn of the arch-Anarchist Count
Malasesta. Through American detective
agencies. the Italian Government has al
ready undertaken searching investigation
at this end Of the line. and its results may
possibly lead to international friction. Un-
Ger New Jersey law. conspiracy to commit
murder outside of the State is punishable
by fine. and by imprisonment limited to
three years In the circumstances Of the
Bresci case. IL is impossible that the Fed
eral Government could find any way to
punish or to extradite his co-conspirators.
II unnaturaIized Italian subjects they
would not be extraditable under our treaty
with Italy. and il prira facie case could
be proved against them. the Washington
authorities could not well surrender them
to the Justice Of their own country as an
act Of comfy; because their friends would
be sure to prevent such action by habeas
corpus proceedings. or course. if the con-
spirators were Americans. whether native
or naturalized. their surrender would be
out Of the question. The statutes of New
Jersey define and provide a penalty for the
offence charged. and prosecution and pun
ishmeut accordingly would be all they
could be made to suffer
It is reasonably clear that the United
States Government viii be helpless 20 serve
the cause OF justice IN this unhappy con-
nection. beyond assisting to expose the
criminals. There is a screw loose in our
complicated constitutional system, the con-
sequences OF which condition. have before
( been realized in cur differences with Itaiy.
relating 10 the New Orleans massacre OF
the Maia prisoners in the city prison Of
I that place. and TO the killing Of Italian
subjects at Hazleton in Pennsylvania by
a shsrin's posse. The Federal Government
! cannot take Jurisdiction over crimes COM
/ m;tted against the persons Of foreigners
residing within a State Of the Union. and
! the State cannot be compelled 10 do what
! the Federal or international conception OF
justice and equity might demand in such
I cases. The local State is sovereign in that
: respect and II 1t refuses action there is an
end Of the matter. The only thing the
central authority can do is to confess its
lack OF legal power and to make the pest
pecuniary terms il can with the Offended
( foreign Government.
! II is perhaps to be doubted that such a
! state Of affairs VIII be allowed to continue
without bringing upon this country the
open dislike and disapprobation OF Europe.
But for the attitude Of Great Britain on
the subject Of harboring political fugitiyes
{ from justice. The question involved would
! probably have been presented to Is IN a
I peromptory form before nc-,. The conti-
! mental cabinets several Jfmss have dis
! cussed the pcoDriety OF ar International
I agreement for the suppression o. arar-h srn
: as common danger TO sJcilty and civili-
/ zstIon. and Tor the mutual surrender Of
p-lit.c3l murterers and cen piTator5 gu lty
Of plotting political s=assi- at-o-s. But
f British objections so far have stood in the
way Of action Since the attcmp. ufol the
life Of the Prince OF Wales in Belgium.
Great Britain may not be as much oppcseI
ject as formerly. nlthe British Govern
nent should change its attitude, AMI agree
with the other leading powers On i meas
ure OF extraditioD. covering crimes gen
orally classed as political. tie II suit would
/ - 10 leave the United States in an iso,a ID
and embarrassing position. Under our in
stitUtions as they now exist the Federal
authority would be impotent to enforce an
agreem,nt OF the kind which would fo,Iox
British accession to the continental
scheme. and tie United States. therefore,
+ could not enter into it.
! Should no worse thing follow. after Eu
rome and the United Kingdom had been
! made too hot for the Anarchists. the
! United states would become their general
/ dumping ground and the sole hatchery for
/ their cOEspiTacies. Under such conditions
/ il is easy TO see that it would not take
long to plunge Us in very hot water. in
respect of our international relations. The
/ question is a serious one and sooner or
later viii have to be taken up earnestly
4 by our statesmen AMI thinkers. Practi-
eally no one has yet suggested remedy
/ not involving a constitutional amendment.
/ giving the General Government jurisdic-
/ tion over unnaturalized foreigners and
! crimes against their persons; as well as
/ power 10 deal with them directly in cases
/ like that OF the alleged Paterson con-
! spirscy which eliminated in the assassi-
nation Of the late King Frmbert OF Italy
! But there are strong objections both Of
i principle and sentiment to the amendment
/ solution.
We are almost afraid that our British
cousins IN South Africa are given to exag-