The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-14
STRANGE STORY FROM NOR
FOLK,

Our Norfolk correspondent in report
Ing trial In the Corporation Court OF
that city, says that the accused, VINO
was on trial for larceny. us well known
as one Of the most expert railway clerks,
and because Of his numerous and respect
able family connections, after deliberat-
ing fifteen minutes. the jury returned
with verdict OF not guilty"
This is indeed n startling statement,
we know nothing about the merits or do
merits of the case, but If the accused
was guilty of the crime with which he
was charged, how. in the name OF justice,
could he be acquitted because of his
family connections?
We hope that there Is some mistake
about this The law is no respecter of
persons and no respecter Of family con-
nections. If person accused OF crime
IS guilty, he ought to be convicted and
punished, whether he be pauper or prince,
whether he be a man of the slums or
man of the highest social position So far
from his raising and social connections
being plea in his favor. they should,
IN fact be so much the m7re against
him A boy who has been reared in the
gutter, who has had none of the advan-
= -tages of moral training in a good home,
who has not been taught the nice dis
,lnctions between right and wrong, is
certainly more excusablc for doing evil
than a man who has been reared In q
moral atmosphere.
Naturally. our sympathies are the more
aroused when n young man of good stand
Ing goes wrong and brings disgrace upon
ar honored family name and brings dis
tress and modification to honorable par
ents and other family connections IT
does seem hard that the sins of the chill
dren should be visited upon the heads OF
the parents, but the law can take no note
Of these things: the law cannot be par
tial. Before the law. each and every
nan stands on the same footing, each
md every man accused of crime is to DC
dealt with according to the evidence ir
the case, and not according to family
connections or social position or any suct
consideration. Nothing Is more sure t.
breed a,,sphit of anarchy among the
masses than the operation of the, Law
under any circumstances In favor of thu
classes, and this is true no less of civi
law than of criminal law. Herein lie:
the great danger of tariff laws and o
class legislation. which operates for tn
benefit of the few at the expense of tn
many. The American people are law
abiding people, and they are disposed t
uphold the law so long as 1t Is just an,
impartial in its operation, But when tn
masses discover that the law is made t
operate against them and in favor of
flew favortes, they would naturally b
disposed to resist the powers that be an
tear the law 10 tatters. 1t must neve
be forgotten that republican government
must be by and with the consent of tn
governed, and the governed will not cor
sent 10 laws that are unjust and dis
eliminating.
Returning to the Norfolk case we RI
peat that we are not undertaking I
pass Judgment upon the person accused
for we know nothing about the pecula
circumstances OF the case, We have sin
ply used the incident as text. and "
go on record as saying that II any pc
son on trial in court for an infamo,
crime is acquitted and discharged.
spite OF the evidence OF his guilt b
cause OF his social position, or his poll
ttai position, or his family connection
or what not. the jury rendering such
verdict commits an outrage against I
law of the land and against public nc
ais.