The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-09-12
Virginia Comment
The Aiienist Puzzle.

Another outcry against hired alienist develops
from from the Charlton case The newspapers to
med Charlton by declaring him insane may succeed In
saving him from being carried back to Italy be
punisned Tor one OF the most cruel and
and cowardly wife murders In the annals of crime
by law providing that the person aeousss
OF crime and pleading insanity may be committed TO
an asylum and held under observation there by scier
until his sanity or insanity is determined. The first
weak spot becomes plain Immediately The case il
one OF criminal malpractice and murder The DELAY
in the trial may be indefinite. months or years Nat
uraliy in OF that kind evidence for the prose
cution Is difficult and uncertain. Prosecuting wit
nesses than usually likely to get away be-
yond the Jurisdiction. But in almost any criminal
case delay Is favorable to the defendant Important
witnesses for the State may die or leave So prac-
tically the Of justice be impeded by
the new Virginia plan thoroughly as by the old
aenist system This leaves with the problem Just
about as far from solution II the lawyers
the law makers and the jurists cannot find a wav 70
beat the insanity plea the uries presently win find IT.
They will find 1t by disregardng expert and alien
list and take the chances OF hanging crazy
punished scores OF sane who deserve punish
ment. T
So While on this subject the Roanoke Times would
like to ask among Its wide circle of exchanges If any
of them ever have known heard of a case of an
expert or aenist swearing the stand contrary to
the interests of the side that employed him. Con-
siderng the standing and position Of most
alenists. this question seem harsh but we would
ike to have an answer-Roanoke Times.
Power of the Unfamiliar.
Great opulence and magnhcence are best suxrested
by words describing things which most readers have
never seen, or do not know that they have seen
How many persons would recognize Jasper or chalce-
dony IL they it? This reflection il induced bv a
perusal Of Frank Carpenters wonderful article on
the Tai Maha the memorial OF the wife the Indian
Shah. Jehan. Delhi. In the course of Mr. Car
penters description we find such passages as these:
The sarcophagi are inlaid with Jade. lapis lazuli
and other semi precious stones /. The marble
which have described took ten years to make
Originally It had door of jasper, but this was
changed to a screen of pure gold set with gems.
Shah Jehan sat in state upon the peacock throne
You have probably read OF It. 1t was a chair of gold
and jewels the back consisting peacocks tails
so inaid with sapphires. rubes. emerads, diamonds
and pearls to represent life
To be sure. many OF the Jewels mentioned are IA
miliar to the average reader, but would US be
able to pick lapis lazuli? Such words really
impress more II one is ignorant OF their exact
meaning. The best example adduce OF this
effectiveness Is the sacred narrative Christian
Bible whore John COT Revelaton) describes his vision
OF the Holy City:
And the building Of the wall OF it was of Jasper:
and the city was gold. lie unto clear glass. And
the foundations of the wall OF the city garnished
with all manner Of precious stones. The first founda-
ton was Jasper the second, sapphire the third a
chalcedony: the fourth emerald the fifth, sar-
donyx the sixth sardius the seventh chrysolyte
eighth. beryi; the ninth. topaz: the tenth. chry-
soprasus the eleventh. jacinth; the twelfth an
amethyst"
We hope that the hands OF the revsers who yearn
put the Bible In familiar language be kept
from destroying the magnifcence of these glorious
passa ges.-Norfoik Landmark
Raid On n HendersOnyiIle JcvtsIry Store i