The Savannah morning news., 1904-11-25
IMPRISONED THE WRONG MAN.
Queer Cases where Justice HAS Err
ed Mainly Through wrong
From London Answers.

From London Answers.
Every year sees a number of ini1o-
cent men wrongly convicted and while
in some cases proofs of these judicial
errors come to hand after the victims
have served but a few months inn
prisonment, in many instances the mis-
takes are not found out Until after
those convicted have served their full
sentence.
The public rarely hears of these mis-
takes Of Justice, and yet in 1897 thirty
one men and women were released and
granted a free pardon after having
been wrongly imprisoned for over four
months. In none of these cases was
the victim granted any compensation,
nor does the law entitle them to redress
in any shape or form, While not so
much as a written or unwritten apology
is their lot.
In cases of mistaken identity, similar
to that of Adolph Beck, there are very
few presidents of compensatory bounty
having been granted, while those on
record do not show a dispensation of
very large sums. However, some six
~ years ago a most fragrant instance
of miscarriage OF justice occurred. A
well-known solicitor named Barber
was, after a long trial, convicted of
forgery and was sentenced to tianspor-
tation for life.
considerab BILE time elapsed before
proofs turned up which infaiiibiy prov
ed that Justice had erred. In this
case it was felt that there were moral
and Intellectual claims for compensa-
ton for suffering which had been borne
so long so terribly and SO undeserved-
ly, on the shoulders of an innocent
man. A long debate was held to deter
mine the exact sum of money which
could, in some measure at least, make
up for the personal agony, which the
victim had undergone, and eventually
the House of Commons ordered the
wronged man bounty Of $4,000.
Some three years ago a man from
New Zealand was brought to Colches-
ter charged with having committed
murder. Eventually, however, the case
against him was dismissed, and, TAX.
ing into account the fearful strain
which the innocent man must have
suffered, the Treasury GRANTED him
5000.
The largest sum which has ever been
granted in almost exactly similar con-
diti0ns to those under which Adolph
Beck wfUngfully suffered Imprisonment
occurred exactly twentyseight years
ago, when man named Habron was
convicted of murder at Manchester.
Fortunately proofs of his innocence
turned up. but not until some time
later. Never had justice committed q
greater mistake. and, although it was
felt that 1t would be impossible ade-
quately to compensate the victim of
this extraordinary case of mistaken
identity he was only granted a sum
of 81 600.
There are numerous cases of mis-
taken Identity in which the wrongful
ly convicted man has not received one
penny. OF compensation. In 1895 man
named Stewart was charged with be-
ing an escaped convict. He firmly pro-
tested that his nafna was Stickler but
the evidence was so strong against him
that he was sent back to prison. Two
years elapsed before the police arrest
ed a man who was exactly like Stew
art, and that 1t was discovered that
this man was the erstwhile missing
jailbird.
Stickler, of course. was Immediately
released, but could claim no redress,
and his only consolation was that he
had not been compelled to serve the
fun sentence.
t'he exact value of circumstantiai
evidence is much discussed question.
William Shaw some years ago was
hanged on circumstantial evidence for
the murder OF his daughter. About a
year after his execution the tenant
who rented Shaw's house discovered a
letter written by the supposed murder
ed girl, in which she stated that as
the man she loved had Tilted her she
had made up her mind TO commit sui
eide. The authorities were, of course,
unable to expiate this terrible mistake,
but the dead mans body was handed
over to his relatives for reinterment,
while nags were waved over the grave
and prominent officials attended the
funeral In token that Shaw's innocence
was recognized.