Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-26
Modern Sensational Trials.

After three days of hard work seven jury
men were accepted by the opposing counsel
in the Thaw murder case in New York.
The court adjourned from Friday until
Monday. At the present rate Of progress at
least a week will be consumed in securing
a full jury to try Thaw, and this process
will cost the county OF New York large
sum Of money. in addition to blocking the
court processes and congesting the calen-
dars.
If Thaw were being tried in New Jersey
the jury would have been obtained the first
day and the presentation Of evidence would
by now have been we'll under way. Under
the system in vogue in that state. which
is. perhaps. the most expeditions In the
country. criminal procedure is not only
swift but it seldom fails to score in the
interest of the public welfare. Mfstrials
are Of rare occurrence there, and the state
is very infreQuently treated to the spectacle
Of q trial stretching over a fortnight.
In New York city q sensational case like
the Molineux trial. or the Patrick trial, or
the Carlyle Harris trial-indeed the list Of
examples might be extended almost indef-
nitely-is practically certain to last a month.
The public appears to expect the diversion.
1t gloats over the Tits between counsel. 1t
revels in the salacious statements of wit
nesses. 1t becomes partisan In its judy
ment of the evidence. The delays are by no
means irksome to the majority of residents,
who appear to feel that the cost of this
form of entertainment is well expended.
This is a deplorabie and an unwholesome
attitude. If public opinion were stirred to
the point of protest against this dalhance
with justice reform would eventually result.
But as long as the community Is diverted
by the spectacle Of a crowded court room
and a daily parade of notables and an
hourly combat OF intellects there will be
no change for the better. Meanwhile pub
lie respect for the law is inevitably weak
ened and no one can estimate the moral
damage that results. Furthermore, the
judicial processes are choked and the jails
are filled with prisoners awaiting trial,
while hundreds of others enjoy their lib
erty under bonds pending action One con-
sequence of the delays that are entailed
by this disproportionate allotment of time
is that every year the prosecuting officers
of the great city are compelled to abandon
scores OF cases which should either be
brought to trial promptly or should never
have been instituted.
The feeling against the jury system in
this country is undoubtedly to a large ex-
tent provoked, il not caused, by these fire.
quent exhibitions of its failure to meet the
modern requirements. Long initial delays,
excessive waste of time in the presentation
of testimony the multiplication of expert
evidence. the exhausting, as we'll as ex-
haustive speeches Of counsel, all tend to
lower the public opinion of our present
method of ascertaining the guilt or limo
cence of those accused OF crime. The
struck jury. the submission of technical
questions to commissions. the regulation of
cross examinations and the curtailment of
speeches would tend not only to save time,
but to render the administration of justice
more certain.