Albuquerque morning journal., 1910-11-19
THE BRITISH SYSTEM.

DR.. Hawley II. Crippen, tho A.neri-
can physician convicted of the muir
der OF his wife. Belle Elmore, an ac-
tress Of more or less note. has been
given a new lease of life. The British
law provides that two weeks must
elapEe between the date of the dis
missal OF the appeal Of a condemned
man and the date of his execution.
For that reason. DR.. Crippen will live
until November 90, and will be
hanged at that time unless the efforts
that are being made 10 find Belle FL
more are successful. and there seems
little reason 10 believe that they will
be Of any avail
The impression prevails that the
efforts being made In this country TO
| find Mrs Crippen. the rumors that she
| had been seen since the gruesome find
in the London house, are merely
made 10 postpone the execution. From
the reports that were cabled 60 this
side of the water. II is apparent that
DIR. Crlppen was given a fair and inn
partial trial. that every opportunity
was given him to present anything
that might put q better light on his
side of The case and that he is getting
iust about what Is coming 20 him.
Tire jgry snid that he was guilty Of
murder and as IT was particularly
afo,ious murder. little sympathy
should he felt for him.
They do that sort of thing IN Great
britain much better than they do In
this country While they guarantee 10
the accused fair and impartial trial, |
none Of the quibbling that is permit
ted on this side Of the water is heard |
IN an English court room. They go on |
the theory over there that the chief |
business OF the trial is 10 establish the |
guilt or the innocence OF the accused. |
over here, our chief concern seems |
to be 10 discover which is the cutcst
lawyer, and a murder trial. especial
ly in the country districts. dcgener-
atcs into vaudeville. with the man
under charge only one Of the audi
ence. with the added distinction o.
having reserved seat.
Wcndlng. accused OF Staying the
little Louisville girl, was arrested for
that crime at about the snme time that
Dr. Crippon was captured and Wen
ding never has been brought 60 trial.
Crippcn has been tried, convicted has
taken an appeal and his appeal dis
missed, while Vending still lam
guishcs behind the bars, his lawyer
searching the statutes for some lggal
basis for quibble. their clerks
searching the jury lists for some
grain of comfort whilo their detoc-
ttyes are looking up the anteoedonts
OF the murdered child In some hope of
discovering something upon which
they can bBsc line of argument that
she fell into the cistern, was drowned,
then hid her bloody clothing after
ward
That sounds ridiculous, OF course
vet It is no more ridiculous than some
of the farces that have passed for
murder trials in the United States. In
some OF the original states Of the
union, whore their practice is stnl
based 60 a certlan degree upon the old
English laws and customs. justice is
more speedy than IN the newer part
of the country whore the advanced
American idea is used.
While We boast OF our Institutions
and justly, too. IL is necessary that
the public mind be alive to our situa-
tlon, In cur desire to see that the ac-
cused has fair trial. and every op-
portunity 10 prove his innocence, We
go too far Like the honest man who
stood SO straight that he leaned over
backward. We often are so anxious TO
be fair to the accused that we are not
iair 20 the people and the cause OF
Justice.