The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-23
OLD BAILEY
BY JEAN CRUPPl
! rcnch Minister Of Foreign Affairs

Old Bailey! There is nothing re-
narkabie and absolutely nothing monu-
, mental In the appearance of the build
, .ns, me entrance of which looks like
nanks IN iolborn. The courtroom IL
protected as If against an assault by
! narrow corridors ana short stairways
as soon as you arc inside you discover
| that this birthplace OF public Justice
Is not intended for the public. or at
leaSt Tor the great masses that arc
0Item attracted by sensational trials
Newspapcrncn only arc on guard there
as representatives of the public The
courtroom Is small. narrow ana dark
IKE well. smaller than tho smallest
dc Justice.
/ The people who spend their time in
thcse unattracuve surroundings have
evidently come on business and not
ror suriosity. In these ugly. almost
poverty stricken SURROUNDINGS. which
do not even show the disnifying patina
Or age. because they are scrubbed clean,
INC Jury system has been in full power
ior centuries. Prompted by Il pcrsis-
tent public opinion, corruption and
| violence were followed by the most fro.
and independent legal procedure in the
world. In the year 1870. William Penn s
scenes OF unspcakable violence were
! Witnessed and when the members Of
! me Jury rushed q the accused. Knocked
nm down, kicked and beat him. To-
1 =.
! In the courtroom OF Old Bailey
The only halfway comfortable or
decent place in the small courtroom is
tnc pattern On which The accused
stands Within its limits. in the dock.
nc is free may walk back and forth
! SIT or stand. Just as he plcascs No
| soldiers sit behind him as in Paris
,lhe warden only sits in the corner
LOOKING more like II clerk than like Il
laiier. one immediately gets the inn
| preston tina, this prisoner in his dock
Is i'm almost sacred being
lie consults his notes. speaks In a
deavo,ring TO collect Il debt, and cred
itor he is indeed, for the court owes
him the proof of his crime III
| In 'front.' of the prisoner. separated
| from him by a small space n narrow
hard bench runs along the wall Here
have been sitting from time immc-
| mortal the sheriifs and updcrShcrins of
| Inc city, sometimes also an alderman or
perhaps even the Lord Mayor, ana at
the end. in place which is not in the
centre OF the room and which shows
| no signs of distinction, sits one of the
great jndges Of England City's off
rals arc quite Mt home here. Accord
| ing to old tradition they receive" the
| Kings Judge and are present nj the
| lriai wearing their purple robes the
Lord Mayor in the centre, under the
naldachin and sword, The shcriffs with
their heavy chains of Office around the
neck. all apparently quite .nnconcerncd
and unconscious of their decorative i'm
| preston. because they are used to it,
During the trial they have time to re-
ceive bouquets or read scented billets-
i they are ''at home .f
At the right OF the Judge, so close
by that he might toucl, it with his hand.
Is the Enclosure in which the witnesses
stand while giving their testimony and
then, on Two benches the twelve mem
hers OF the Jury Opposite the jury is
an nncomforiablc terrace the steps OF
which arc crowded with privileged Wis
itors, witnesses and reporters .
There is also q big table which takes