Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-30
sTAR-CHAMBER METHODS
IN THE HoRNING CASE

Editor Herald: When intrenched
authority sets the iron heel of it's Will
or caprice into any question, and Incl
dentally into the neck of some unfor-
tunate albeit errant wight, it seems
often of little use for the lay spectator
the humble, unofficial onlooker-to
protest, however monstrous the wrong
involved. And the individuals tempta-
tion to quiescence is the stronger, mas
much as the great big inert public, not
so much stupid, perhaps, as lazy and
apathetic as we'll as diffident toward
the authority it has itself installed,
Is so hard to move and so prone to say
"Oh, what's the use? These official
fellows have it all in their own hands,
and what they say has to go. Horning
not proved guilty? oh, perhaps not;
but the police say he is, and they ought
to know Anyway, we can't do any
thing. We don't know Horning; he's
probably no goood. Look at the COM
pany he kept"
But strong as is the temptation, I re-
fuse to take this attitude I will exer-
else my right of public protest, though
every cowardly shirker in the commu-
nifty lies low and snores, or evades his
responsibility by asking, Am / my
brothers keeper?"
You don't know Horning? Neither
do I, but know that were he the very
devil himself he has not had fair play
nor the ghost of decent show. Not
only is the procedure employed against
him not right 1t is not even law, and
that is often far enough from,justice.
Convicted in the first instance in
a round -the-corner, ewant-you-for
this, l-get-you-for-that method;
third degreed into a confession" OF
something totally irrelevant to his ar
rest-something that occurred years
before-he was shockingly over-sen-
fenced as a sop to (presumeO public
Indignation over the killing of Captain
Auble. with which he was never
charged, and then
Released after two years on techn1-
cality because probably somewhere in
the machinery of the law a little oil of
shame has crept into the cogs that
grind the unfortunate under dog,
Horning is rearrested, and, though
threatened Cor promised, which is IT'D
a hearing on a charge that was not
tenable two years ago, and therefore
is worse than absurd now, he is sud-
denly, by some star chamber process,
spirited away back to Jail unheard.
How do you like such methods, Mr..
Citizen? Is this kind of thing the
chosen fruit of your forefathersN heroic
struggles for personal liberty?
Remember, it isn't a case of Fred
HOrnlnE II AhNOiNCS Ga
the Mornings of society, of whom you
yourself may by some unlocked for ac-
cident become one when you least eX-
pect it. So numerous and complex now
are our laws and ordinances, so many
snares and pitfalls do they spread for
the unwary, that it is becoming q
truism that men are rushed to jail
though innocent (of intentional wrong
doing, at least) while others guilty of
small offenses are dealt punishments
meet for hardened desperadoes. And
all in order that our jails may be kept
full and our glorious criminal system
maintained as a good "going concern"
iustifying generous emoluments. Also
that police officials may crafty their
petty ambitions and personal cravings
for revenge. There is not apparently
any particular solicitude as to the cul-
prit's identity-the policy is sock 1t to
somebody! If the real culprit is dead,
then stick up the next person available.
Make him represent the crime, and to
this unlucky scapegoat do your
durndest! That is what our criminal
law administration seems coming to.
Who backs this protest?
Don't wait for an inspiration of elo-
suuence Don't wait for better case
than Horning's! Remember, this Is a
system of progressive encroachment on
the peoples rights. What is done to
Horning will be done to better men
tomorrow If you don't speak out, Write
to The Herald! VAL STONE.