His whole
conduct of the case instead of being commended as meritorious
had resulted in a solemn public declaration that he was not
worthy of credence and that he had attempted wilfully to
railroad to State's prison two innocent men. In other words.
that he ought to be there himself. What was the use of trying
to do good work any longer? He might just as well loiter in
an area on a barrel and smoke a furtive cigar when he ought to
be "on post." Perhaps he might better "stand in" with those
who would inevitably be preferred to him by a jury of their
peers.
What must have been the effect on the court officers, the
witnesses, the defendants out on bail, the complainants, the
spectators? That the whole business was nonsense and rot!
That the jury system was ridiculous. That the jurymen were
either crooks or fools. That the only people who were not
insulted and sneered at were the lawbreakers themselves. That
if two such rogues were to be set free all the other jailbirds
might as well be let go.
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