The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1911-05-31
.OD|UM OF THE
FOWLER'S NET
AS Exemplified in Grand
Jury System
|0F PRESENT DAY AND TIME
A Plea That II Be Remedied
In Behalf of Justice
and Equity.
JCRUDE RELICT OF A PAST AGE

Just. what particular case, II any,
inspired the writing of the follow
ing sensible and timely editorial for
a recent issue of the Cincinnati En-
quirer, We do not know, but 1t is
certainly we'll worth reproducing.
Here it is:
Laws were never designed to be
a snare and pitfall for the unwary.
From that time in the musty centu-
ries when Moses plucked from the
dazzling heights of Sinai the Deca-
logue, laws have been designed to
be a light to the pathway of men.
Even the lawgivers of ancient
Greece andRome, emerging from the
mist of tradition, appear to have
shaped their laws solely for the
guidance and protection of man
kind. Laws were fewer and simp-
Ter then. So-called organic laws
,ad not been formulated and there
Jas not the maze of statutory en-
jctments, subject to frequent change
At the caprice and whim Of scores
# legislative bodies, nor had the
massive and complicated system of
Jurisprudence and courts been ere
ated that exists to-day. The wheels
of justice revolved smoothly and
with perfect decency and order.
1t was only with the dawn of ma
ltional freedom and constitutional
liberty that snares began to be set
for the feet of the unwary. And
among them all none has proved to
be more treacherous, moe deaden-
ing, more damnable. one might say,
than the present grand jury sys-
TEN. Working, as it were, in the
night, and CARRIED in habiliments of
darkness and secrecy, how often has
it reached out from the folds of
safety and security to smirch for
ever with indictment the lives of in
nocent men? What a terrible agent
it has been in the hands of unscrup-
Gals!
The stain of indictment never
yields to the clamoring lotion of
subsequent acquittal. Once fastened
upon the garment of innocet or
guilty alike, it is there to remain
forever. Under the secret system
, in vogue in this country, no individ-
ual, no matter how high or honora-
BILE, is secure from assassination of
character, from this agency. Did
mot a celebrated lawyer a few years
Iago remark that, place in his hands
IA given sum of money, he could
}bring about the indictment of any
Imam or woman? There was great
truth and tragedy in that remark.
This is not in advocacy of the alb
rogation of the present grand jury
system, but rather a plea that it be
remedied, that the full ends of JUS
tice may be attained without I'M
necessary destruction of character
and happiness. Sooner or later
there must come a change. 1t is not
alone unfair, it is murderous that
an individual, without the least
knowledge of what is going on,
without a chance to defend himself,
either through perjured or ignorant
testimony, be made feel the lasting
sting and obloquy of grand jury in
dictmeut. Helpless, defenseless,
without resource of any kind, he
and those who love and admire him
must forever be the victims of scorn
and contumely.
1t is within the power of the leg
islatures to change existing laws so
that no man may be indicted with
out first being given opportunity to
confront his accusers. Such
clause should be written into the
law, not only of this State, but of
all the States. If necessary, let the
person against whom charges have
been lodged be served with notice
to appear before the grand Jury, the
same as any other witness. Danger
of fight on the part of the guilty
culprits and criminals can easily be