The age-herald., 1900-04-03
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE

by the monStrOus crime was pdftldHy ai- | layed when the inhabitants realized that the officers of the law had succeeded in piae- ing the accused men safely in strong cells of the county jail; and that, too, after the offenders had been positively identified by 1 Policeman Adams, who was believed to be within few hours of his death. There was l consolation and comfort in the fact that the 1 offenders had been brought to the very door of the courts and no reason existed why l they should not be speedily tried for the l terrible crime with the commission of which l they are charged. No serious talk of vio- | lence was heard during the day; though l there were many men who declared that they would not, if opportunity offered vol 1 unteer to defend the prisoners against moo l law. But such talk was merely by the way. | Nobody contemplated anything that would l In any degree interfere with the ordinary processes of lawful authority. The situa- | ton might have been different six days | ago. But at the present that Is not unoer | consideration The arrest of the men no" | in prison VIII doubtless have deterrent | effect upon criminals, especially burglars and sneak thieves from whom this district his suffered much of late; but neither householders, business men. nor the police force are likely to relax their vigilance. Every citizen realizes the supreme impor- l tance of checking crime in the city and district. and all Birmingham is convinced 1 that the pofiee force should be very sub i stantiaay increased With the present 1 small number of police il is impossible to i properly protect the lives and property ot | the people This much was what the pub si..t rnaf wi today. and what VIII be said every day until 1 satisfactory remedial measures are auopteu.
 
 There is A great deal of chimney-corner l law being expouuded just now, Tn VleW | of recent instances of crime and ot the l ordinary partial failure of justice. It Is | being stoutly maintained that the idenf- 1 hcation by Policeman Adams of the two men in jail charged with shooting himself l and Policeman Kirkley, and Adams un- | qualified declaration to that effect are | without force in law because the said | declaration was not sworn to by Adams | before 4 person authorized to administer oaths It would seem to be unnecessary | to say that such theory is absolutely al variance with fact Adams's assertions have the fullest force possible in law. sim iiarly d man might-dispose of million or l money without line of writing or whisper of oath by declaring his will and testament in the presence of the necessary witnesses, whose testimony could establish the will | under proper procedure in court There is an impression on the popular mind that a deadly weapon must be of certain weight, dimensions, or particulars Any article or object. from a cannon to a cambric needle, by which murder is committed is deadly in the province of the law. And three calls to fugitive to halt do not warrant the use of firearms on the part of any person. A warrant for arrest is not warrant for killing; and every killing is prima facie murder Justification, If there be any un-
 der the law, must be proved in the lawful way Public opinion is sort of excuse for judge of jury; for public opinion fre- quently justifies assassination and lynch ing. whilst murderous assaults are some-
 times punished if punished at all, by the
 fine of few dollars and costs.' But none
 of this sort of thing is actually warranted
 by the law. If a man have the slightest
 doubt as to his lawful right to be led by
 impulse let him assume it to be unlawful
 in it's tendency and proceed to see lawyer.
 That would prevent world of trouble, first
 and last.
 Speaking of the law, an eminent member
 of the bar expressed regret yesterday Shat tae practice of the profession was not now conducted on the high plane and with the stately dignity and courtesy of former times. His discourse finally brought to his own recollection a story which he de- clared to ine ancient, but it is good enough for any time '.It was formerly the cus- tom for members of tle bar to accept their fees an gold only" he said with twinkling eyes, "SSmetimes the extent of fees was agreed upon in advance of services, some times otherwise, as, for example, leaving the client to pay after service was per- formed such fee as he thought proper and just. The first lawyer who Is recorded as having accepted payment of a fee in silver was called to task by the bar a whole for being guilty of unprofessional conduct
 in that tne received payment in anything except gold.
 My brethren, said the accused, T plead justification and beg clemency.'
 How do you justify your action, sir?'
 was demanded of him.
 '' I took all my client had he answered
 '' The meeting of the bar is adjourned.'
 cried the Chairman"
 Clinton, the Greene county village. where
 on Saturday night Store Clerk Buntain was
 most foIlly murdered and the store in
 Whica he worked was robbed by unknown
 iesperadoes, is noteworthy in Alabama
 history as the birthplace of Hon. James R. Head, distinguished for many years as cir
 cult judge and subsequently, as a justice
 of the state supreme court. In his Child
 hood Judge Head played about the scene
 of Saturdays awful crime.
 'iNever before was Richmond so prosper-
 ous as it is now" said Robert c. H.den.
 managing eLitor of the Richmond Times
 who spent Sunday and Monday in Birmirg-
 ham. Within the last six months a great
 deal of money has been invested there in
 new industries and various Improvements
 The amount thus used reaches fully s7.0oo.-
 O0A In f,,a Sbit i9llildipp yarlxs ,,.a