The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-05
Best Ways to Make Human
 Life Safer in Ale>bamo.

Uut HuHldli, tney uO bOIHcIlluSs AaAS' The law should provide that whenever one stays another with a deadly weapon, concealed up to the time of drawing 1t in the encounter, the slayer shall be guilty of a felony.
 Trials should not be public. Executions fully enforced should be an object les son to all Imagine scene, so often witnessed irf our public trials. A mur- derer has trailed down his victim with a double barrel shotgun; and coming upon him unarmed and in flight, shoots him in the back before he can escape. Two or three able, pious. distinguished law yers extol the virtues, the good charac- ter, and the conduct of the defendant; solemnly assert that he did just what he actly right The jury come out and say so too, by a verdict of not guiitys A court room full of boys from to 20 years of age see and seeds of crime have heen planted deep in fertile soil. The wind has been sown. and the whiriwind is as sure to fol- low as that night succeeds day. The Consultation says: "fhe accused has the right to a speedy public trial by trict in which the offense was commit ted And he should have this. whether he wants 1t or not. Every crime punish able capitally should be tried within thir-
 
 machinery for such speedy trial should be provided. The courts should be open Tor them at all times. If need be, courts of suitable dignity and competent capao- ity and jurisdiction should be established for the purpose. When murder comes in Alabama to mean hanging for the mur- derer sure and swift, then murder Will be confined in Alabama to it's narrowest possible limits. and not before.
 The jury laws need changes. The courts should he allowed 6ra Vpnire for more than one case set for the same day. The State and the defendant should be gwen an equal number of challenges. No sound reason exists for any other rule. The Sheriff should not have the right to select single bystander to be put upon tNe jury The bystanders, as rule. are not impartial. Their interest in the case, one way or the other, brings them there. And can see no valid objection to the law itself qualifying and selecting the jury in every case. To approach or speak to juror or prespac i've juror about a pending case, with the purpose to infiu- ence his action thereon, except in open court should be made felony. Likewise to tamper with or fix a witness in any case should be made felony.
 In time of peace, jury duty is the most honorable and vital service a citizen can render his State. The multiplied exemp- tons from jury duty are making a tray esty Of 1t. Ministers. firemen, troopers and infantrymen should not be exempted. All men over 21 years of age not men, tally. physically or morally incapacitated, should be required to perform jury duty, except. perhaps. lawyers and doctors.
 Sheriffs should be put on a salary. The absence of single important witness in a case means a continuance. which for q prisoner. in jail brings s54 into the Sher- Tn s pocket. The constant prayer of Sher- ifs and all other public officials to the lawmakers should be. Lead us not into temptation" Fines should be placed on Sheriffs for every negligent failure to serve any paper or summons in every case in the proper time and in a legal manner Likewise, fine should be placed on court clerks for negligently or indif- ferently failing to issue, within a speci- lied time. every paper or summons the law makes it their duty to issue in ev- cry case.
 Solicitors, under existing laws. are di- vested of practically all Influence. These laws were made when Solicitors got fees Tn order to minimize and neutralize their influence with grand juries ,and never repealed, though the reason for them ceased to exist twelve years ago. Nov II IS their right to summon, swear ane examine witnesses; their duty to advise the grand Juries on questions of law, ant to retire from the room when they arr expressing opinions on cases or voting on them. The laws which tie the hand. of Solicitors should be repealed.
 me pcFJuFy StdtuIe Snouid De aTneHdeC and enlarged. It is impossible of enforce, ment. The witness who falsely swears ou defendant guilty of murder is morally a wiliful accessory after the fact to tht murder itself. The witness who falsely swears the hemp about the neck of an in. nocent defendant is a cold -blooded. das tardly murderer at heart In either case he paralyzes the government in it's effor to discharge its sovereign functions, ant IS a deadly enemy and traitor to oul hTNF Arf1 TIaA ln. should more broadly and practically de fine perjury. and impose the death pen atty upon the perjurer, who falsely sweari away the life of human being.
 The grand jury system has outlived it' usefulness. It should be abolished en tirely. It Is more often a shield to thu influential law breakers than otherwise There Is no secrecy about it. The So licitor should be given stenograp phel and the power to summon before him swear and examine witnesses, and to take down in full their testimony. When thi, written testimony shows a violation o the law. he should he required to file ar information in court and proceed witt the prosecution forthwith. Failing in thi: any one should be allowed to file the tes timopy with the Judge. so that he may require the Solicitor to proceed to dis. charge his duty in the premises. The So- licitor should be punished for corruptly or Wilfully failing to do his duty in an, case. The grand jury system being re. tained, all discretion 10 find or not in, dlctments in misdemeanor cases should be taken away from them. This disere. tion Is more rarely used in behalf of the petty law breakers than in behalf of the influential friend on the outside of the grand jury room.
 A law should be passed whereby the parties to a prosecution can more effect. ually get and hold the witness in tow until the trial is had, so that they can. not so easily be spirited away and gotten beyond the reach of the court and its process.
 expedite and effecuate the admlnistra. tipn of the criminal law. In my humble opinion, the criminal courts should stand as a terror to law breakers in every community. They should stand for the fair, just, vigorous. impartial and speedy punishment of the guilty; so as to he both respected and feared by those whc would thrive by preying upon the lives and properties of their fellow men, The greatest obstacles now in the way of d proper administra ton of the Jaw are tc be found in the witnesses and in the juries. There are other suggestions but space forbids.
 The writer is well aware that the fore. going views may be criticised by modern criminologists as radical and drastic and as to be expected from a Solicitor ot ten years experience; but he is at the their adoption in part or in whole, will tend to make human life more secure and more happy in the State of Ala bama.
 w. w. Quarles,
 Selma, Ala, Jan. 2s. 1908.