New-York tribune., 1900-05-22
KEEP OFT THE CONTICTS-

The attention Of the United States Commits
sioner of immigration and of his deputies at
this port should be directed TO the fact that on
the steamship Lucania, which sailed on Sunday
from Queenstown bound for this country, are
two cOnvicts who by law excluded from en-
trance into the United States. These convcts
Joseph Mullet and James Fitzharris, who
were convicted and sentenced to imprisonment
for life for completely in the murder of Lord
Frederick Cavendish and Mr.. Burke in Phoenix
Park. Dublin, on May 6, 1882. These men, after
having served part of their sentence have been
liberated. and it is said they hope to find friends
and financial support in this country.
The act of March g. 1891 regulating immigra-
ton. orders the exclusion of all persons who
have been convicted of a felony or other in
famous crime msdemeanor involving moral
"turpitude." That fits the case Of Mullet and
FitZharris, and the immigration officers, how
ever influential their friends may be, cannot
permit them to land in this country without
violating the laws they are sworn to enforce.
We do not assume that they have any intention
of failing in their duty and letting these Grim
inals enter the United States. but the openness
with which the convicts advertise their coming
and announce their expectation Of charity, just
as II they had right TO land here, makes it
appropriate to have an eye on the law and it's
enforcement. Possibly the immigration officers
and the friends of the convicts themselves think
that admission is allowed under the section of
the law which says;
Provided that nothing in this act shall be con-
strued to apply to or exclude persons convicted
OF a political offence, notwithstanding said po-
litical offence may be designated as felony
crime. infamous crime misdemeanor involv-
ing moral turpitude" by the laws of the land
whence he came or by the court convicting.
Murder. however. is not a political crime in
the meaning Of that section. This provision is
made 10 prevent exclusion Of persons convicted
under the laws and courts of another country
OF Infamous crime for acts which would not
under our laws be regarded as infamous 1t is
not meant TO open the doors Of this country as
an asylum for murderers and other criminals on
the mere allegation that they had political
motive" in their crimes Murder is all infamous
crime in America as well as in Europe Death
and life Imprisonment the penalties here as
there If Lord Frederick Cavendish or some
person who cOrresponded to him in our official
life had been murdered in Central Park we
should have arrested the murderers and sent
them to prison to the electric chair accord
ing TO the degree of their guilt, if we found
them guilty, and no defence that they were per-
forming an act Of political revolution would
have been accepted.
The Phoenix Park murders a political
crime just in the sense that the recent Kentucky
State House Park murder a political crime.
Lord Frederick Cavendish regarded by a
body of people as the representative Of hated
political regime. So was William Goebel The
latter appeared TO majority Of the people of
Kentucky as usurper trying to subvert their
rights and liberties and likely to succeed by the
exercise Of unprincipled methods. Some fanatics
may have persuaded themselves that his taking
off was the only way TO rid the State Of this
despotism. just some Dublin conspirators
thought the cowardly assassination Of two per-
sonaly inoffensive gentlemen by a gang OF ruff
ians while walking unarmed and unattended in
n public park would contribute TO the overthrow
of distasteful political rule But If the man or
men who killed William Goebel are discovered
they will be punished as murderers, not as
political offenders, in this free America, and
the roonle. without regard TO party and how
ever much they may have condemned Goebel,