The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1907-04-20
DoNALDsoNVHLE La SATURDAY, APRIL 20 1907
CONTEMPORARY COMMENT.
Opinions of Leading Louisiana News-
papers on Current Topics and Events.
Interesting Discussions Of va
rIety Of Subjects.
some Unwarranted Proceedings.

Inc failure OF the jury to convic
Harry Thaw of the murder of Stanford
White was to have been anticipated
There were elements in the case thai
appealed strongly to the sentiment oi
the juror, and that naturally inclined
him to unwillingness TO have ThaW
electrocuted for the murder of White.
Everywhere, the defense in q criminal
trial has a great advantage over the
prosecution. This probably is as il
should be, yet ii would look as if the
dead man should have an even chance
with his slayer, and he does not get it
when twelve members OF jury have
to agree.
Yet the jury system is probably the
best available, since it is true that hu-
man nature does not love stern and
exact justice. We think that no one
will question the earnestness and hon.
esty of the prosecution of Harry K.
Thaw. The fact that he is rich man
did not initiate in his favor, for the
poorest man on the continent would
probably have escaped the electric
chair had he been in Thaw's position.
There were extenuating circumstances,
and whatever may be ones opinion of
the verdict, the law itself has not fallen
into disgrace through this trial.
On the other hand, We have had
some recent exhibitions in Louisiana
that are calculated, in our opinion, to
bring the law into very great contempt.
There was likewise an exhibition of
this kind in Virginia in the case of the
Strothers brothers, who murdered a
man after having forced him to marry
their sister. II is surprising to us
that newspapers condoned this out
rage, and that Judge Harrison, who
was sitting in the case, went far out
side the proprieties and congratulated
the jury on the verdict. Even in the
Strothers case, though, an Indictment
was found and the men were tried for
their lives.
10 New Orleans, however. q grand
jury has recently refused to put man
on trial who knocked out the eye of
another man. We do not know the
facts in the case, except that there was
a barroom braWl and mans eye was
put out, but we do contend that soci-
ETY. had the right to know why mans
eye could be knocked out and his as
sailant be exculpated.
A case far more dangerous, because
it is more conspicuous. is that Of Con-
gressman Favrot, recently let out of
Jail by the Baton Rouge grand jury
on the ground that he was not guilty
of killing man whom every one in
the United States knows he did kill
1t is said that he had extraordinary
for killing this man, a
leading physician in the capital of the
state, but what is said is rumor. More
is expected from man who
is judge than from man who is a
private individual. More regard for
The law is expected from a man who is
q law-maker than from an ordinary
citizen. Yet here was Judge elected
10 congress who not only killed an
other man, but whose attorneys took
every technical advantage to prevent
his trial. Yet the family of the dead
man is left without father, husband
and protector. and the state Of Louisi-
ana does not recognize that he has
been killed.
We are not personally interested in
the case from one side or the other,
but it is our duty as public journal
10 inform our readers that ccntinu-
ance of this kind Of business could not
but mean that they would better do
away with judges, with iuries, with
The expensive process of the law, and
take care Of themselves.
An unlimited amount of rot has been
preached about the so-called unwritten
adW AZ ul4O 9Oaeut4 OAC sWbu4u bll1k
that it had become an institution more
sacred than the written Law. II so, let
US recognize il and make it written
law, and then misapprehension will be
out of the way as to just where q man
does stand when he takes the oath as
8 grand juror, as prosecuting attor-
ney and as judge, or when some one
commits an unlawful act against him.
We should like to hear from some OF
the judiciary of Louisiana on this sub
iect-we should like to know If we
stand alone in our opinion that things
OF this kind are an outrage against
civilization. New Orleans Item.
Auditing Of Public Accounts.
e is, Of course, regrettable that any
public official finds the lt1ra f1f charns