Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-13
LAW FOR CRIME IN ITALY
Long Delay Responsible for Some
Queer Legal Situations.
NOTORIOUS CASE NOW ON TRIAL
InquisitOrs Who Tortured WOuId-Be
Regicide to ExtOrt Confession
Are Being Tried for
Their Onense.

ROME, Sept. 1~2.-(Special. )-Wide atten-
ton is being attracted by the trial of Com
mendator CaIevelli, director general OF the
prisons of the kingdom, and Commentator
Doria, his second in command, because of
the high positions of the accused and the OBJ
ject lesson which 1t presents for those who
are agitating for prompter justice. The two
officials are being indicted for moral cruel
ties TO a prisoner, with the object of in
ducing him to betray his accomplices. The
trial has already had two distinct and
beneficial effects, that of further opening
the eyes of Italians to the need of reform
of prison methods, and also to the scandal
lous delays in bringing accused persons,
whether innocent or guilty, to trial.
The latter seems to be a characteristic of
Justice peculiarly Italian, as there is
scarcely another country where a prisoner
can languish for years in prison on mere
suspicion. So universal is. the custom here,
that ] have not been able to remember a
single important trial in this country where
the prisoner was tried inside of two years
after the crime was committed, and it is
usually twice that time.
"Third Degree for AcciaritO.
Who has not heard of Acciarito, the
would-be murderer OF King Humbert? In
the minds of most people he is such ancient
history that he is almost forgotten, but the
trial now going on has to do with his i'm
prisonment, although his attempt on the
life of King Humbert took place ten years
ago, his escaped victim has been dead
eight years, and Acciarito himself is Ian
gushing in a cell where ten years of soil
tary confinement has made deep lnroads
on his intelligence, and he is little better
than an idiot.
1t seems that Commentator Doris. with
the approval of Commentator Canevelli
and some others, finding that Acciarite re-
fused TO acknowledge that he had accom-
plices, had one OF the prison guards pre-
tend to be a prisoner, and from the cell
adjoining, by means Of knocks on the wall,
Informed Acciarite that his mistress had
had a son, and that they were dying of
hunger. To support this monstrous and
untrue story letters were sent to him, pur-
porting to be from the woman, with the
same story. Acciarito's love for her and
a possible child were the best elements in
him, and I'm his agony at their supposed
condition he at once gave way and supplied
the names Of several men as his accom-
plices. Later, however, he retracted his
confession and nothing could be proved
dbdAhsA AlltAis
People Demand Reforms.
Public Indignation was at white heat
when the facts became public, and social
ism and even anarchism made enormous
strides. Notwithstanding this. it has taken
ten years to bring these officials to jus
tice. After all this time the public cares
little on whom the responsibility lies; what
they demand is that no such thing shall
happen again, and that the whole prison
lies the point of defense OF those who APP
system shall be changed. And just here
lies the point OF defense Of those who APP
prove a somewhat lengthy delay between
the arrest OF a person for a serious crime
and his trial. They argue that II he Is
tried at once passions are aroused, thai
jurors and even the judge cannot argue
serenely, and that justice is more apt tc
go astray.
This keeping prisoners for years before
trying them is doubly cruel in Italy, fol
the reason that there is no such thing as
bail for criminal offenses. II they car
afford n. sleviatinns IN foods and rom.
forts are allowed from outside. II they
are poor so much the worse for them
Thus an innocent mans affairs may go e
absolute ruin and his wife and family b,
cast upon the street and public charity
yet he has no redress. This is the reason
that both innocent and guilty at once take
to cover on the least hint OF danger. Tt
he taken Is fatal: II they can hide for Z
while their innocence may be proved Will,
they are at liberty.
Ancient Crime an Example.
Another ancient crime, Just row judge,