The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-29

are as much a part of the court, in one sense of the word. as the sworn officials are for they are always present Like moles their work is done in the dark.
 but it is none the less effectual They
 are paid for their nefarious work and
 they do 1t. Justice and fairness are not
 known in their codes. Their pay is the
 wages of sin and they earn it without
 regard to who may suffer. But there
 is almost always some power behind the
 ''fixers" and that power reaps the benefit.
 As in the case we are writing about the
 tool only Is punished. That Kansas City
 court stopped at the wrong place.
 And while we are on this subject, and
 as an addition to 1t, we think 1t we'll to
 add the following editorial which recent
 ly appeared in The Chicago News. and
 which Is about the most scathing indict-
 ment of city by one of it's own news
 papers that we have seen In many day.
 The News says:
 Nothing In connection with the numer.
 ous cases of jury.bribing which have been
 exposed in Chicago Is more amazing than
 the nonchalance with which that particu-
 lar kind of vfllainy is put through. At
 is, in the language of the street. coarse work. Any fool of a constable or cheap court bailiff can be turned into suc- cessful jury-fixer. Street loafers or other shabby men with feeble chins can be
 picked up in barrooms or the lobbies of
 third-rate hotels at any time to return purchased verdict or hang jury at cash rates. They sell themselves surprisingly cheap In short, to bribe jury Is no trick at all Given an impressive-looking lawyer to add dignity to piece or blackleg court work and a fairly intel ligent go-between who has reputation as thoroughpaced rascal which may be relied on to render untrustworthy any sworn testimony that he might give it tempted to turn States evidence, and the job is done. Under the head of legal expenses' the corporation or other con- cerns that uses fairly extensive line Of jury -bribing in its business can enter up the costs of such knavery and yet ex- ude innocence at every pore.
 Jury-bribing Is a trade that fiourishes rather we'll in this city under the foster- ing care of lawyers of certain sort who do the dirty work for various corpora tions. If child. who has been maimed for life is to be robbed of the fair amount of damages which IS que IL TOT us srieN- ous hurts the briber stands ready to corrupt the 1urymen and protect the treasury of the defendant corporation IT the corporation's lawyers or claim agent has any sort of work to be done that calls for jury bribing handful of money and a word of instruction to the dis
 credited tool are sufficient to produce the desired results. That the stream Of bribery runs broad and near the surface in the local courts has been thoroughly demonstrated.
 Why not purify the courts?
 Punishment for complicity in crimes by which the courts are polluted Is now neither certain enough nor severe enough | to check this damnable iniauity. A law yer who represents a client In whose in- | terests a jury is bribed or a conspiracy
 is~ formed to bribe a jury should not escape lightly from the odium of such l abomSnations If he is an honest man
 he has been grossly insulted and grevious-
 ly wronged by his client or some one
 working in his clients interest Ills l honor demands that he drag the truth
 to light If he takes no steps to that | end is he not a se1f-confessed rascal? | It is an imperative duty of the State's attorney. the courts of Chicago and the
 reputable lawyers of the city to weed l out the jurf- -bribers and to catch and
 put into striped clothing the corporation ohicials who furnish the bribes.