The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1921-06-23
JUSTICE SWIFT
IN new JERSEY
Trials Of Bandits and Major
Criminals Rushed on the Day
Of Arrest.
IS FOUNDED ON CAlvANISM
Wheels Of Court Move Quickly
Famed Not Only for Accuracy and
Relentlessness, but fer Fair.
ness and Efficiency.

Trenton, N. J.-1nteresting light has
been thrown on the operation and
speed "of Jersey justice" as a result
Of recent convictions for murder and
other crimes. While misdemeanors
and felonies have increased In New
Jersey, as elsewhere In the country In
the last year or SO. state records show
that there have been few disagree
ments OF juries, and prison sentences
have been extended TO maximum lin
its in order TO discourage violations OF
the law.
One feature Of New Jersey law that
few, IL any, OF the other states have,
and which is SAID TO have been
prime factor In giving the state Its ira
ditional reputation for lightnlnglike
court procedure. is a provision that
Jury In first degree murder trial may
designate life Imprisonment instead OF
the death penalty for the convicted
person. This has resulted in many
quick convictions for life imprison-
ment where. otherwise. there might
have been jury disagreements.
Quick Bandit Trials.
Cases like that OF the Union county
bandits, Charles and John Krebs and
Martin shannon. who were sentenced
to serve from SO to rs years each. and
who were tried. convicted and were
beginning to serve their sentences
within 14s hours Of their capture, are
occurring daily In New Jersey. the
present so-called "crime wave" appar-
emily furnishing an excellent test for
the efficiency Of Its courts.
Jersey justice" famed from Maine
10 Florida. from the Atlantic TO the Pa
cific, and even overseas, not only be-
relentlessness, but also because Of its
fairness and efficiency, was not estab-
Ashed overnight II is scarcely a tan
gible thing. II may be best described
as "a state Of mind" the people de-
manding that their law officers be eff
Client above everything else. Thus
prosecutors. grand juries judges, petit
juries and all other branches OF the adj
ministratiOn of justice, which lead the
criminal to prison and the murderer to
the death chair. are just 50 many
wheels and gears and belts In an al
most perfectly working machine"
whose motive power is the people.
Tradition has had much to do with
making Jersey justice" Beginning
with the early days OF the settlement
Of the state. when many crimes were
punishable by death, the Calvinists
brought into east Jersey distinctive
views Of religious and civil matters
which probably were the roots Of "Jer-
sey justice"
New Jersey differs In no great re-
spect from other states as TO the gen.
eral legal procedure for the punish
ment of crime. Lynchings and crime
against accused persons, however are
rare. Officers Of the law. from the
highest judges down are well paid. and
every effort is made to keep politics
out Of the courts. At present there
are more than three-score life pris-
oners In the state prison here and
eight out of every ten convicts are In
for long terms.
Safeguards for Innocent.
While Jersey Justice is swift, the
innocent are safeguarded through
system OF appeals, reprieves and stays,
the latter sometimes operating to save
convicted persons from the death