The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-05-27
FAITH N COURTS
LOST BY BRITISH
Reliance Shaken by Result Of
Murder Case Police
Seek Victim.

cd about a year ago. Engiishmen gen.
orally felt that an end had come to
the time when an innocent man could
be hanged. as undoubtedly innocent
men have been hanged under the old
system of unrestricted trial by COM
mon jury. which prevailed In England
for centuries. II was felt that three
judges sitting far removed from the
excitement and passion OF the trial
court, would render an impartial YER
dict and would speedily set aside any
verdict by a jury as to the justice OF
which there was any vistage OF a
doubt
Now, however. public opinion Is
veering around to the position that the
appeal court has made little differ
ence. To begin with. It's establish
ment was opposed by the judges, who
felt that II was a reflection on their
impartiality and ability. and. second
~ the appeal judges are of the same
class and rank AS the trial Judges. A
man who presides at the Old Bailey
today in n murder trial may sit as an
appeal Judge tomorrow to review the
acts of one Of his brother judges,
and the next day he may be conduct
ing criminal business again In pro-
vincial court. Naturally there Is loyal
~ among judges and they don't like to
upset the decisions of their judicial
brothers. ......
This uneasy state OF public opinion
has been Increased by the action OF
the appeal court in two recent famous
cases. those of DR.. Crippen. the Ameri-
can doctor who was hanged for the
murder OF his wife, and Stinie Morri-
son, the Russian Jew, who was SEN
fenced to be hanged for the murder of
q compatriot. II Ia not alleged that
either Crippen or Morrison was inno-
cent. Probably they both were guilty.
and in Morrison's case, at least, the
prisoner Ia man OF the type of whom
q Scottish Judge said that "a wee bit
OF hanging would do him no harm"
but do assert that neither man would
have been hanged had he been tried In
the United tSates. Furthermore. he
would have escaped. not because Of
the extreme technically Of American
law and practice. but because no Am
erican jury would have taken the re-
sponsibility Of sending man to death
on the evidence.
The trouble Ia that English juries
are hypnotixed by the prosecution. and
the theory of prosecution by the crown
10 responsible for this. The prescott.
or In English law 10 not In theory a
prosecutor ut all. He is an advocate
appointed to watch and see that JUS
tice IL done. II he thinks the prisoner
innocent. in theory II Is his duty to
do oil he can to tree him. II guilty he
10 supposed to try and hang him. In
fact. Of course. the English prosecutor
10 just green lawyer playing the legal
game for all II Ia worth to obtain a
verdict for his side and reputation for
himself The prisoner Is only pawn
in the game. British jurics generally
ARE made up of small tradesmen, OF
mo great intelligence. who are much
Is prosecuting and whose minds are
biased unconsciously. perhaps, but
none the less surely. against the pris
oner.
The Morrison cause has been sc
we're shock to the faith of many En-
rglishmen. not only in the infallibility
OF the courts. but also in the integrity
of the police. or rather OF Scotland
Yard. M the London detective burea,
10 called. for the London uniformed
policeman Ia about as good a specimar
OF the genus as there IL In the world
sAt the time OF the murder for which
Morrison has been sentenced. Scot
land Yard was smarting under public
criticism for its failure to catch the
Houndsditch anarchists. and the yart
man made much capital over II.
promptitude In arresting Morrison. A
the trial. however. all the witnesses
were of the class which is known II
London as "copper's Marks" and IL
New York as police stool pigeons.
1t was proved that several OF then
gave perjured testimony against Nor
rison. and even the police evidenc,
was impeached by no less a person
than a policeman. This man. mem
Der OF the uniformed force. by tn,
way, directly contradicted the evi
dence OF the detective about an alleg
ed admission by Morrison. when h,
was brought into the station on tn,
night OF his arrest. All this leaves al
ugly taste In the mouths of those VIII,
have been following the case.
Il IL only fair tc say that prompt &C
ton has been taken by the authoritie
In the police matter. An investigation
has been begun and the policeman
who came forward to contradict tn
evidence OF his superiors has beef
assured that his career In the fore,
will not be affected In any way by an,
evidence he may give.
The result, however. Is almost
forcgone conclusion. Unless the po
liceman can bring supporting evidence
Il 10 hardly likely that his word viii
be taken against that of band Of In
spectors and sergeants. who are fight
ing for their positions and regulations
The fact remains. however. that "th
yard" 10 In distinctly bad odor nj pres
emit A few years ago no one eve
thought Of accusing the detectives o
making cases. No such accusation
NV nria0nera are NJ weekly occurrenc