The Washington times., 1901-08-07

IL Is lHG OplnlUn OF certain London pa
pers that Earl Russell who was recently
| sentenced by the House of Lords to three
months Imprisonment as a criminal of
the first class" on the charge of higamy.
| might have been treated with more Ie-
niency had his case been tried In the
| Assizes. 1t is pointed out that his case
| is probably unique among bigamy cases
| in that the convicted man practiced de-
| cepton upon no one, and that, according
to eminent legal authority. he was free
to contract a second marriage. That au-
thOrity had been mistaken. That was ALL
| Moreover it is shown that the prosecu-
tion recognized the extenuadng circum-
| stances in the case, and the summing up,
made in a spirit of the utmost sympathy
for the prisoner, simply pointed to the
fact that the defendant, through mistake,
and without injury to anyone had broken
the letter of the law. In the light of these
facts, it is deemed in certain quarters
that the punishment inflicted is excess
sive. according to modern ideas of justice,
and yet the peers felt impelled to impose
it in order to mark their sense of the
gravity of the offence per Sc, and to main
tain their own dignity as a high court
of justice.
During his detention In Halloway Jail
Earl Russell will be obliged 10 conform
to the rules governing the confinement of
tirst-class misdeameanants. Except when
taking exercise or attending religious ser
vice In the chapel he must remain in the
cell allotted for his special usage. he
may. however. have the cell furnished at
his own expense and have his meals
served from outside the Jail: the govern
or, in order to relieve Earl Russell from
the performance of an unaccuStomed
task or Offices may order one of the re-
mand prisoners to keep the cell in order.
Also the prisoner. at the discretion of the
visiting committee, may be permitted to
wear his own clothes and read such liter
ature as he may desire to provide himself
with. He will in no way, certain reports
nOtWit outstanding. he required To work; but
If he prefers to occupy his time in carry
ing out some trade or profession no
Ear will be put in his path, If his indus
trious inclinatious are of "a practical ma
ture." The prison regulations. while al
lowing but one visit fortnight by not
more than three friends, and the despatch
and receipt of one letter in the same
period, may, if the visiting committee
agree, be altered. In these circumstances
Earl Russell may interview and COM
municate with his friends on practically
unlimited scale.
French towns have their share of curl
Gus legislation. Frances nightmare is the
dwindling of her population. Givet in
the Ardennes, has taken this matter Sc
riously to heart. In future for all city
offices fathers of families will be preferred
to others. and married men generally be-
fore bachelors More than this, large
money prizes will be given yearly to the
heads of those families who have sent to
school regularly the largest number of
children.
Paris and Limoges both have laws
which the brain workers of many British
towns will deeply envy In Paris no street
music is allowed after 9 o'clock in the
summer and in winter. while in Limoges
bells must not be rung before in winter
summer mornings.
Vienna has the severest cycling code of
any city in Europe. No one may ride
bicycle in the streets without certifi-
cate of proficiency. This applies espec-
tally to lady cyclists. Ladies have to
mount and dismount from both sides of
their wheels show that they can turn
corners. and ride in and cut between a
number of dummies. All cyclists are pho
tographed by the police. and this photo
graph is fitted into a little book contain
ing the rules and regulations for cycling
in the city. For this book the cyclist must
then pay is Cd. Bt side : this, n huge brass
number has to be Worn conspicuously
placed on the handlobar of the machine.