The Washington herald., 1912-10-06
LITERARY REVIEW OF LATEST PUBLICATIONS

at Manchester Few writer's
of the day know the boys and girls OF
America 90 well as Mr.. Barbour does.
and his new story 10 sure OF welcome
THE KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN SPUR: By
Rupert sargent Holland. Illustrated Pubiisned
by the Century Company. New York Price. a-5
net
There 10 plenty OF magic In this story
Of how boy Of to-day 10 enabled to 30
back to other times and share with each
Of half-a-dozen OF the most famous
knights In history In some dangerous
adventure" before he wins the golden
spur. and becomes a member Of their
select little band. And, though the boys
of to-day find plenty Of action in the
life and sports of to-day, yet the young
hero will be envied by many Of them for
being permitted to have so brave and ex-
citing share In some Of the most thrill
ing contests OF oiden times
The book was planned and written dur
ing a recent summer on the Maine coast.
and the author says he had great pleas
ure in carrying out the idea Of the book.
pAppY.LoSG-LEGs: BY Jean WEBSTER nlus
trated. Published by the Century COMPANY. New
YORK Price. 81 net.
Judy is an orphan. one Of the institu-
Y ton KIM, a DeHtNOlcnt.
/ trustee arranges that she shall have a
college education The only condition Is
that Judy shall write reports Of her
progress to her anonymous benefactor
| The letters might have been cut and
dried formal reports OF college work: but
| they are not. for Judy 10 q bundle OF
| originality: and her letters to Dear
Daddy-Long-Legs' are delicious chron-
icles of q young girls growth out OF a
| t,s4 han
| rich womanhood-
The illustrations are the authors own.
just such unique, laugh-provoking little
sketches as a clever pen might scribble
on the margin Of an intimate letter. The
spirit of eternal youth IN this book will
make its appeal q wide one.
COURTS. CRIMINALS. AND THE cAMoRRA:
| BY Arthur Train. Published by Charles Serb
ner's Soma New York.
This Is not SO much q book as a series
Of articles on allied themes. There are
| nine chapters divided into groups OF
three. The middle group. headed Grim
inals." is of slighter interest. or at least
OF slighter importance, than the others
Why Do Men Kill?'' Is an analysis OF
| the motives for homicide, made upon
the basis of a very large number Of
homicide cases Something like three
| quarters OF the total number of annual
| killings in America are the result OF
i quarrels about relatively trifiing matters
\ Disputes about infinitesimal sums OF
money are responsible for the snuffiins
out of some human lives. In three case,
/ tried in New York in a single week tht
| whole amount OF money In dispute came
| to eighty-five cents. Drink figured in q
majority OF such cases. and women in a
much smaller number. Mr.. Train ind.
that people kill because they are brutal
\ and are ready to yield TO brutal impulse
whatever may be the immediate cause
| which incites them to the act OF muir
| der.
One hopeful deduction is that there has
been a decrease in homicides during the
past fifteen years. The murder rate Is
still larger than in countries - Western
Europe, but II put upon a fair basis
I'VE should ind. thinks Mr. Train. that
we do no more killing than the French
end Belgians, and less than the Italians.
His summing up Of the situation Is not
very encouraging. He confesses frankly
that our present legal method offers nc
deterrent to the legal or professional
criminal
Mr.. Train takes great pains TO deny the
rotion that our jury system is a failure
He considers the charges brought against
the jury method. unfair. and does not
hesitate to dismiss them. Another bubble
lpunctured is the one which We pretend
is the corner stone OF our legal structure
the presumption Of innocence" That
every man should be regarded as inno-
cent till he is proved guilty is theory
which appeals strongly TO the lay mind.
| \ government of laws and not Of mem
sounds like a government from which the
| Individual man might expect justice
Hence our regulations that mans
house cannot be entered without war
rant. that he cannot be arrested on sus-
I.cion and the like. And hence our
pleasing theory that when man Is ar
rested he is more probably innocent than
guilty. Mr.. Train shows the manifest
sbsurdity OF this In most instances men
arc not arrested for nothing; the pre-
sumption is all the other way. judge
or a jury cannot help being prejudiced
against a defendant with a villainous
face and a bad record. How then Is II
POSSIBLE to have a government of laws
without men? The police act under Of