The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1912-12-05

VIZ LOT MS lie IN barcelona,
Spain, Cassidy Cook, mem
Der of the New York bar, went to
that city to watch the proceedings.
He was provided with letters from
Secretary of State Knox and other
persons of influence in the United
States. His aim was merely to COM
pare the Spanish legal methods with
those in force in the United States
and England.
81 sat through, the first days
trial, said Mr.. Cook, "and made
many notes. The next morning, all
nicely shaved and with my note book
under my arm, | appeared at the
door of the court room The official
on duty put his hand on my midriff.
Go away he said. Please leave
Spain. You distress US. -
81 learned that had been for
mally barred from court. After
many inquiries l found that a spy
had reported to the authorities that
at dinner on the previous evening I
had remarked to my table mate that
the Spanish legal methods were
disgrace to any civilized country,
and that the obvious intent was to
sentence Ferrer to death as speedily
as possible and without regard to
the evidence. l was not expelled
from Spain, but was not again per-
mitted to enter the court.
Now it appears that Mr.. Cook
harbors an equal Though a differ
ent) distaste for American legal
forms. For years he has made a
special study of criminal law and it's
practice. AS a representative of GER
tain eminent members of the New
York Bar Association he has attended
the trial of the four gunmen-''Lef-
ty Louie" "Gyp the Blood whit
ey" Lewis and "Dago Frank
charged with the murder of Herman
Rosenthal. In the same capacity he
attended the trial of Lieutenant
Becker, recently found guilty of
murder in the first degree for the
Rosenthal killing. His conclusions
will be embodied in pamphlet for
distribution among the members of
the bar association, in the hope that
the support of the better class of
lawyers may be enlisted for the
movement now slowly getting under
way and which has as it's object the
shearing of needless technicalities
IL OIl INC Al1lSl 1Cdu ICSdl pIOCSOu1
Among the criminal trials Mr..
Cook has attended was that of DR..
Crippen in London and that of
Clarence V. T. Richeson in Boston.
He carefully watched the trials Of
Harry Thaw and the McNamaras
and Henry Clay Beattie and a score
Of others Of equal criminal note
81 am satisfied said he, that
if we were to remodel-eur court pro-
cedure on that of England we could
save at least three-fourths of the
time now spent in court; we could
do away with tWo-thirds Of our
criminal courts altogether; we could
save at least one-half of the direct
cost to the State Of our present judi
cial system, and perhaps two-thirds
Of the cost to litigants. / do not
think l am extrayagant in saying
that the saving would amount to at
least 100000 a day; we could
save money enough to build and
equip superdreadnaugh every
month by merely forcing our law
yers to throttle down their excess
of words. No one would be the
worse for it. We would all be gain
ers.'
Mr.. Cook points to some interest
ing figures in proof Of this assertion.
Gin the past fifty years." said he,
"the law in England has been re-
duced to a perfected legal science.
No delay is tolerated. The only APP