The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-01-15
az ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.

THE enforcement of law is curl
GUS thing" said the observer.
THE enforcement did you say"
asked the doctor.
when I used the word enforce
ment,'" said the observer. Il did SO in
lieu OF the poverty of our language.
There is no word that would adequ-
ately and accurately describe the ex-
traordinary acrobatics performed in
the name of the law"
II agree with you," said the doctor.
Nov If l had my way"
IF you had your way interrupted
the observer, wed have to take to
cover, for anarchy would reign"
Not at ALL" said the doctor blandly.
Just because have unusually sane
but what many people regard as revo-
lutionary views on the social system
am relegated by the assinine aver
age, which can't see anything that
hasn't been plated out by their an
cestors or chartered by their contem-
poraries, to the crank dump.
But what called forth your original
remark" he interpolated.
"Oh--nothing-and yet something.
too" said the observer. Il was just
thinking of Jacks boy" he murmured
regarding the end of his cigar contem-
platively.
Il thought perhaps you were going
to give the murder trial whack," said
the doctor.
so l was-and yet, oddly enough, it
was mixed up with Jacks boy, al
though the two seem rather remote"
Now what I'd like to know u.s."
went on the observer, ION what does a
jury actually base its decisions-cut-
lawyers arguments and their own at
tention to the testimony which are the
things the public believes alone influ-
ence their arrival at conclusion.
"In instance here was a man who op-
emily admitted he had killed another
man and if he hadn't a lot of people
saw him do it, But he didn't seek to
sidestep the proposition himself. And
yet he was acquitted"
well, SO far as that is concerned"
said the doctor, you know my views
I'd acquit everybody. The whole sub
ject of the treatment of criminals is
wrong. 1t presupposes the ex-
know, believe there is any such class.
Or. rather, l shouldn't put anybody in
to such a classification"
You must admit, however,"
Il certainly do admit that, under the
present regime there is nothing in hui
man experience to justify the absurdi-
ties of the melting out of alleged JUS
tice.
And" said the observer, they pre-
sented him his pistol and knife on a
silver salver after the trial. I'm not
sure they didn't apologize for bother
ing him."
II heard funny thing about that
case" said the doctor. "Of course
don't say it's true but it sounds as prob
able as anything else. One of the jur-
ors said he and another man hung out
for sentence That he thought the
man was guilty of a crime against the
law. That the other man came to him
and said--now look here, we might as
we'll give in. l think he's guilty, too
but you know how these people are
if they find out you and l wanted to
sentence him we may be stabbed in
the back some dark night when we're
passing an alley. Besides I've got to go
home and look after the farm. If we
hang out We'll stay here for days and
as there isn't any money in it anyway
the use? So we joined the
Others"
YES" said the observer, that's
about as near as they get to it."
"The whole things a farce" said the
doctor. Then they turn round and
send some boy to the penitentiary for
fourteen years for stealing thirty
cents out of a corner grocery till. A
boy, too, without any criminal in
stincts, who might have been a decent
citizen If he had had the proper par
entail training-yet branded for life as
a criminal and convict for boyish
But
by the way what about Jacks
boy?"