The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-01
THE LAWS DELAY.

Mob violence indicates a peoples
lack of confidence in the laws ability
to punish swiftly and adequately crime.
And the increase of mob violence
would seem to indicate that the lack
of confidence is increasing. The con-
clusion is inevitable, therefore, that
the law as it is now twisted and dis
torted defeats rather than serves the
ends of justice. Just how far this
twisting and distorting process is car
ried in one state is shown in an ar
ticle written by Frederick Trevor Hill
for the current number of Everybody's
Magazine. The state is New York,
but the article concerns itself more
particularly with the condition of the
courts of justice in New York city.
There are on the calendars of one
court alone in the single borough of
Manhattan" says Mr.. Hill, more than
eleven thousand cases awaiting trial,
and the full capacity of that court is
year." The writer further declares
that while this record is bad enough
on it's face it does not begin to sug-
gest the really desperate nature Of
the situation; that although five thou
sand cases, more or less, are disposed
Of every year, at least two thousand
of these are not tried at all, but are
settled or marked off the calendars for
various reasons (potent among which
are despair, encouragement and dis
gust, and considerably more than five
thousand new cases are added during
offsets the gain.
But the reader gains a clearer idea
Of the eccentricities of justice as re-
vealed in the New York courts of law
after he has read that part of the
article which cites special cases.
Among many others the case Of Roland
Molineux is mentioned. "Molineux was
indicted for a murder committed in
December, 1885, says the article. I'm
October, 1901, almost three years after
the event, the court Of appeals re-
versed his conviction and ordered a
quittal in November, 1902, almost four
years after the date Of the alleged
trial" Commenting on this the writer
says: 'Now if Molineux be an inno-
cent man-and the final verdict of the
jury so declared him-is it not mon
strous that he should have been in
carcerated for almost four years? But
on the other hand, is there no menace
to the community in a delay Of such
duration that some witnesses cannot
remember the facts and others cannot
be found, and the proof gene rally i'm
paired at the expense of the public
safety?"
Mr.. Hill refers to the investigation
ordered by Gov. Odell, and in a foot
note states that since his article was
written the commission had made a
report to the governor recommending
an increase in the number Of judges,
the appointment of masters or official
referees and other matters expedit-
ing legislation. But, as he declares,
the recommendations can only be
made effective through legislation, and
this legislation must be demanded by
the people or it will not pass. The law
is the people; but not in the state Of
New York alone but in every part of
the country the people have permitted
the law which they have uttered to be
twisted and distorted to serve base
ends. In an emergency they resort to
mob violence. The Botkin murder
case, now being tried in San Francisco.
may be cited as one example of the
laws delay in a state other than that
of New York. Just so long as this con-
dition of affairs is permitted, just so
long will this nation be shame0 before