The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-07
TRIAL OF AN EARL
LORD RUSSLLL'S CASE FOR BIGAMY
BEFORE THE BRITISH HOUSE
OF LORDS
DECORATION FOR AMERICAN
Mrs. ROnaIds, for Raising Hospital
Ship Fund, Gets the Order of
st. John of Jeru-
salem.

LONDON, July 6.-The ca of Earl
Russell. involving tie trial of a peer
by the house of lords after the suspen-
sion Of functions of this kind for sixty
years, may offer an object lesson in the
form of a majority verdict which viii
tend to dignity the traditional rights and
dignities Of twelve ordinary men in the
box. New prece1ents may Oe Great
Ell by fresh committee en-
powered to examine the journals Of
the house of lords.
The essential facts will be that a radl-
cal peer will be exposed to get a MAJOR
ity verdict from house ropres. nting the
old ToryiSm of the privileged c,aSS and
that any member answering the roll
call of the lord high steward will be
both an unsworn juryman respecting l.
sues of fact and a judge regarding COM
pick questions Of divorce law in Eng, and
and in America The results of so re-
markable an experiment in criminal pro-
cedure cannot be safely forecast. An
abandonment or at least a reconstruc-
of the antiqra ted procedure Of trial by
q privileged jury would seem mo e likely
that the substitution of majority for
unanimous verdict IN ordinary criminal
practice.
The Nevada Judge who granted the d.
vcrce to Earl Russell has, indeed, been
intrumental in raising a series OF queS-
tlcns of exceptional interest. This Is
the first Issue of the validity of the dl-
voice under the laws of Nevada and the
decisions OF the United States supr, me
court. There is the fundam ntal qUes-
tiCn of the power of any foreign tribunal
to release an Englishman from the OBJ
legations Of marriage contracted in MS
own country and to enable him TO re-
turn to England with another wife. There
Is the issue of privilege with the anon
,Nft ria hxTf
K rds when th,re is a charge Of felony
against a peer, and this is the tradi'
tiCnal inheritance of social conditions
which have been Transferred by the nor
NAL development of political institutions.
The Nevada judge has opSncd a Pan
Cora s box for the confusion of the priv
legged order and for the bewilderment
Of hair-splitting lawyers. The best con-
collation. which the moraist can
find is the hope that the Russell case
may lead to the enactment Of uniform
divorce laws In the states of the Ameri-
can Union and may open the way for
closer approach between England ana
American legislation for the defense OF
tie sancuty Of marriage.
REWARD FOR WORK OF MERCY.
Mrs. Ronalds of the American ladies
who raised the fund when the hospital
ship Maine was bought and equipped
for the use of the British in the Boer
war. mas been gazetted as an honorary
lady Of grace OF the Order OF st. John
CT Jerusalem.
CANADA SATISFIED.
The Canadian ministers who are in
England probably will sail for home
about the first of August. They do not
look for a practical solution Of the ques-
ton of an imperial court of appeal at
cnce, but consider that a conference Is
helpful in creating an atmosphere for
imperial federation. Tney assert that
Canada is satisfied with the existing ar
Iangements and not in haste to modify
them and hence that any proposals for
creating an imperial court Of appeals
viii not be acted upon with elaboration.
The ministers make up a strong delega-
ton and their presence in London has
strengthened the good relations between
Canada and the mother country.
EDWARDS CORONATION
Official preparations for the coronation
procession are already being made. 1t
j. expected the route will be through the
same thoroughfares as at Queen VIC
ria's coronation in June, 1888. Offers
running up to several hundred pounds
are already being made for seats along
Ilt route. 1t is evident that King Ed
wards coronation will eclipse in mag
rIfcence that Of any previous sovereign.
.-.s TEST OF NAVAL BOILERS.
The British cruisers Minerva and Hya-
cirthe sailed from Davenport for Glib
raltar this evening for the sole purpose
Of putting the respective merits of the
Etlleville and Scotch boilers to a final,
decisive test. The Minerva has Scotch
boilers and the Hyacinthe has Belleville
toilers. Both warships are of almost the
same coal capacity as they are sister
ships. Members of the government boil
er commission are on board each vessel.
Speculation and rivalry are keen regard
ing the result. The Minerva and Hya-
cinthe are to steam 16 knots speed to
C,i raltar, cruise around in those waters,
c.6Gn their boilers and then race home.
The Hyacinthe is the favorite in the bet
ting.