Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1909-06-11

fectual effort to save him from the con-
quences of his crime, implored the jury
not to be influenced in reaching a YER
dict by "the intense public feeling
existing against automobile speeders."
Similar admonitIons are often given to
iuries, particularly in cases, like that OF
Darragh, of exceptionally fragrant and
atrocious crimes, such as are calculated
to arouse strong sentiments of horror
and reprobation. 1t is not uniting that
they should be given, for of course
jury should be influenced solely by the
evidence, and not by public feeling or by
popular cutlery. The intimation which
is sometimes coupled with that caution,
however, "that inteuse public feeling" is
an uncalled-for and improper thing,
which should be regarded with aversion,
is not to be approved.
The fact is, on the contrary, that in
tense public feeling on some such mat
tiers is inevitable, and it's non-existence
would be lamentable and omnibus. We
should be sorry, indeed, to see day in
which there was not intense public feel
ing against murderers, incendiaries and
perpetrators of abominable crimes. In
the present case there seems to be as
good reason for such righteous animosity
against automobile speeders as against
any other class of dangerous criminals.
We should not be surprised to learn that
automobile speeding in the streets of
New York has been the cause of more
deaths in the last two or three years
than arson; and we are not sure that the
callous and cynical contempt for human
life which some of these speeders show
does not evince as much depravity OF
mind as do the passions of avarice and
revenge which are the commonest incen.
tives to arson.
1t was on Friday that Darragh was
righteously convicted of manslaughter
1t might have been hoped that the ex
ample thus set would prove deterrent
to similar crimes, at least for time
But only two days later, on Sunday, two
scorching scoundrels at Bath Beach
committed almost exactly the same act
though, it is hoped, not with fatal re
suit, and in precisely the same cowardly
and law-breaking manner hurried away
to avoid recognition, needless of the fat'
of their victim. On Saturday night, too
at New Rochelle, what may prove to b'
manslaughter was committed by couple
of law-breaking automobilists. Almos
every day, indeed, there are records O
such doings, while the number of mino
accidents and the cases of inconvenience
! discomfort and alarm which are similar
ly caused are beyond computation.
Under such circumstances there
reason for "intense public feeling.
There is necessity for it, If we are nc
, to be set down as community G
2 Yahoos. 1t should not, of course, bia
the administration of justice, and it Gel
tainly should not manifest itself in cour
ter violence against the objects of il
wrath. But there should be, and W
1 trust sincerely that there will be, arouse
D and maintained an ''intense public fee
!. ing" which will insist upon an imparti;
e and unfaltering administration of justic
t upon all who are guilty of manslaughte
= whether the implements of their crime
e be pistols or automobiles; which wi
II support the courts in the rendering
such judgments as that of last weel
and which will hold the speeding aut'
mobilist" who recklessly endangers II
} lives and limbs of others as the detest
: bic criminal which he is. Such mantle
& tations of such feeling will show thi
we are still civilized and humane.
e Dol ICE AE R0 GIOQG RI 4