The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-07-17
CRIME OF PERJURY.
J. J. Mccarthy Of Iowa Calls Atten.
tiOn 10 Its Prevalence.
1T IS A WIDESPREAD EVIL
And One Which Begets DiStrust and
Disrespect for Courts.
SAYS 1T IS RAPIDLY INCREASING.
Justice Must Wear Veil 10 Hide Her
Blush of Shame.
THE OPINION OF EXPERIENCED JUDGES
A Majority Of the Important Lawsuits,
Criminal and Divorce Cases Are De-
cided on Perlured Evidence.
SAYS 1T IS RAPIDLY INCREASING.
Justice Must Wear a Veil 10 Hide Her
Blush of Shame.
THE OPINION OF EXPERIENCED JUDGE.

Council Bluffs, Iowa. July 16.-Presldent
J. J. Mccarthy made startling statements
regarding the prevalence of bribery in
American courts of justice in his address
to the Iowa State Bar association at its
annual meeting in this city today. lis It
true MIR. Mccarthy asked, that perjury
Is committed in judicial proceedings?
need take no time for the discussion OF
this Inquiry before n representative bar
association. II will not do to credit all
false statements 20 lack OF memory, vision
afy exaggeration. inability 20 see and M,
dcrttann things correctly, white lies, imagi.
nary deluslons and such Hike.
"WHERE Is THERE A LAWYER WHO
HAS NOT SEEN THE GUILTY CRIMI.
NAL PASS OUT or THE COURT ROOM
ACQUITTED AND SET FREE BECAUSE
OF PERJURED TESTIMONY WHAT
ONE OF US BUT has SEEN THE
RIGHTS OF PERSONS AND OF PROP.
ERTY SACRIFICED AND pRAMPLED
UNDER FOOT, PRESuMANY UNDER
DUE FORM OF LAW. BUT REALLY
AND TRULY BY THO USE OF CORRUPT
AND FALSE AND SOMETIMES PuR.
CHASED TESTIMONY? THESE ARE
TIE THINGS THAT BEGET DtsTRUsT
AND DIsREsPECr FOR THE COURTS
AND FOR yBBDICTs AND For OUR
BOASTMD FORMS or LAW. THESE
ARE THE THINGS THAT PRODUCE
ANARCHY, LYNCHING AND INVITE A
JUST CONTEMPT AS WELL AS A LACK
or CONFIDENCE IN THESE TRI-
RUNALS CALLED COURTS or JUSTICE.
zone jndee Of long experience upon the
bench writes me that In his opinion about
one half OF AL the evidence received W
behalf OF the defense in criminal cases is
false
"Another Judge ~ equally high reputo
writes chat he believes 70 per cent OF the
evidence In divorce cases approaches de-
llberate perjury.
"Auother writcs that pecipry ts commit
ted In majority OF important law suits
and that the crime Is rapidly increasing.
I'm short, with reference TO the pre-
valepce of perjury the time mas come
when, In the words Of another, Justice
must wear a veil, not That she may be
impartial, but that she may hide her face
for shame Some tell us that the crime
IS committed mostly I'm the police and petty
courts where as a rule, the witness be-
longs to tbe vIclous classes But the fact
remains that II Is committed In other courts
and by men protesting high station In
society, church and state.
WHO can blame a poor outcast Of So
ciety for false swearing, when presumably
reputable citizens do the same thing? why
do we cTpeud time and money IN prescott
Ing some poor tramp for stealing an ever.
coat TO keep from freezing when tho
wrecktr of bank the despoilcr Of
home. the tnkcr of human life or the en-.
tezzler of thousands goes unwhipped OF
justice?
why should a nation or State cry
out against determinations, trusts, com
hlnations and 'watcIod' stocks when the
very crime that makes them possible Is
passed unnotlced2 Why does the press Of
country write volumes on the coDstltu
ton following the flag when the sanctlty
OF an oath that gives both the flag and
the constitution their real Significance is
almost lgnoredT
Mr.. Mccarthy then proposed remedies.
He said oaths were too common. He ia
vored tho abolition OF all official oaths and
the emphatic administration of the judicial
oath. He believed that the Judge himself
should administer all oaths; that II should
be done with gravity and soiemnty. and
that witnesses should be told the extreme
punishment would be meted out 20 per
iurers. Then the law should be enforced.
Perjury should be swiftly and severely pun
public sentiment would rapidly grow up
against Il and men would hesitate before
committing this most heinous, wicked and
cruel crime.