Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-02-11

putting the accused through the most
frightful mental agony b. terrOrizine
words and acts. and then suddenly con-
fronting him With the STARK body Of his
supposed victim or reproducing the
crime, as nearly a. It can be done, hoping
that the stress Of mind TO which be is
subjected will force confession or some
sign OF guilt from him. It generally |
fails. A person hardened to the point Of
committing murder will not wilt under
this test. Even il . suspected person,
undergoing such a frightful ordeal.
should drop q word or make a sign that
might be twisted By the anxious and hos
tile eyes about him into an indication Of
guilt, the average jury would quite disre-
gard evidence obtained in this way. On
the other hand. there il real danger that
an innocent person placed in such an or
deal might suffer q shock to the mind or
nerves from which be would never recov-
er. The ssthird degree ought to be pro-
hibited By law. It has never been APP
piled in Vermont. and We trust never viii
ba.
One Of the instances Of petty graft and
pium-sucking that has cropped out re-
peatedly in recent years is the conatitut-
ing OF so-called municipal courts. The
recent legislative session resulted in the
este blishment Of several and the increase
a.. - - :. 4 .-..-u--s ~At.-~ Wk~-~ .n<..~t.
-of somewhat more extended iurisdie-
tion than a justice eourt--deal mainly
with criminal offences OF the town In
which they are established, and perhaps
OF few surrounding towns, displacing
the justice courts in this respect. In
stead OF fees for time actually employed,
the mnnicipal Judge draws 3 salary from
the state Of several hundred dollars .
year, and gets the title OF "Judee" be-
sides. The plum always goes to . law
yer, who il glad to exchange an uncertain
income earned from clients for certain
stipend from the state, with a chance to
dabhle in other things on the side. In
J the cities, and perhaps very few Of the
} larger towns, there Is a measure OF ex-
) cuse for such court, but the way the
thing Is creeping into the small towns
, merely for the purpose OF giving some
. hack lawyer . soft berth-constitues Al
I abuse that deserves sharp check-rein.
| It is noticeable that these new iudgeships
are almost invariably created when theirs
is some eligible party in one branch o.
the other OF the assembly from the town
interested-and that be gets the job.
e Governor Prouty approved every bin
: that came to him except two. One be re-
: turned with veto, which was sustained
b an unusual thing for a Vermont legis.
n lature to do. The other came to him lats
4 enough in the session so that he defeated
' II BY 'spocket Veto" This was the bill
n requiring railroad companies to publish
1 their timetables in such Vermont news
: papers as the public service commission
r might designate. The history OF this bi
/ OF attempted legislation Is interesting
r A bill originating in the House, per
. hitting the old practice of an interchang
i OF advertising and mileage books By tn
. newspapers and railroads, which tn
board Of railroad commissioners, BY Al
Interpretation OF the railway rate act o
: 1906, had disccuntenanced--a bin restor
! ing this practice MAS killed in the House
9 A similar measure passed the Senate, bu
: was emasculated in the House. The Sen
Z ate and House named conference commit
q tees and Mr.. Howe Of st. Johnsbury. VIII
u frankly stated bis antagonism TO the Sen
= ate bilF drew q new measure putting til
'e matter into the hands OF the public ssry
" ice commission and requiring the raj
g roads to foot in cash the expense result
Dc ing from the publication Of timetable.
o. This compromise bill passed both house
~ easily, but for reasons not clearly ex
ia planned as yet the governor tucked
% away in his pocket and it failed. As II
OF matter stands, there is nothing to prever
~ the railroads from advertising as The
TO please nov, aud nothing to require thel
Of to run their timetables in the newspaper
be The Rutland News suggests that it
n quite within the province OF the publ
all service commission to enforce their publ
cation, as a matter OF general benefit |
y, railroad patrons, but as the matter stand
ire the commission is unlikely to take tn
step.