The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-09-28
The Innocent Punished.

F,nglishmen have had such sublime
faith in the infallibility of their courts
of Justice that the revelations OF. the
Adolf Beck case came as a rude awak-
ening. Beck served five years penal
servitude for a crime which ne d1o
not commit, and but for peculiar CO.
incidence he would have been lmprls-
oned again on similar charge.
He was arrested in 1896, charged with
assuming the name of wealthy NOBLE
man, and defrauding women by pretend
ing to hire them as housekeepers and
thus gaining their confidence. One
John Smith had made record for the
same kind of swindle back in 1877, and
the police claimed that Beck and Smith
were the same man. At the trial Beck
had witnesses ready to testify that III
1877 he was in Peru. The police did
not bring their charge Of identity, and
the MAGISTRATE refused to allow Beck's
evidence, which would have established
his innocence Denied the right 10
bring in this evidence, Beck was con-
victed and sentenced, as some OF the
victims identified. him. No appeal be-
ing possible, he languished in prison for
the full term of his sentence.
Three years after his release, or early
in the present year, he was arrested
again on the same charge, and again
identified by victims. The previous con-
yiction stood against him, and his
chances seemed dark until, in the midst
of the trial, the real John Smith was
, captured in the very act OF perpetratlng
the swindle. He confessed that he had
operated the game in 1877 and again
in 1896, "..
Beck has refused money payment
: as salve for his feelings, and demands
: full investigation and vindication. No
reparation canrbe made that is adequate
: to the wrong he has suffered, but it has
j. served to point out serious fault In
+ the British criminal courts, where, de-
u MED the right of appeal, the crimina!
e is practically at the mercy Of the magls
o trate before whom he is arraigned
Is The case is also lesson to Ameri
e GAGS, who have been taught to REGARD
the British jurisprudence as far super
n ior. It has been the fashion to sa,
G. that criminals here are given too man.
e chances to escape just punishment b,
q, legal technicalities. Abuses of thi
IL kind do occur, and that often. Men re
s. ceive new trials on points OF law, an
90 scot free on technicalities. Becaus
:. of this it has been proposed to dc, ava
~ with appeals for all minor offenses.
= The Beck case is an illustration Q
IL what might occur if the change wer
IL made. Doing away with appeal Nigh
d result in absolute justice to create
percentage Of cases, but that is nc
the true test. It is better than doze
guilty men should go free than tina
o. one innocent man should suffer tn
~ shame and the ruin of a term in prison
q, The law is made to punish the guilt.
"a but even more to protect the innocent.
be The American people will hard]
ba want to take chances with a syste
oh that denies appeal from an ignorar
tv or prejudiced judge. It is quite ikel
IN that the English public will come
1v the same conclusion.
" Among the interesting delegates to tt
International Peace congress that NEE
: IN Boston oCI %, VIII NC lie bdioile
o. Won Suttner one of the foremost womt
= of continental Europe, who was the on
-, woman admitted to the opening Of t
- peace congress at The Hague. Wher
ever the Baroness Won Suttner spea
in Europe crowds wait to see and he
fv- her She is the author Of remarkat
Ter story, Lay Down Your Arms" and t
It. founder of the Austrian Peace society