Show False Confessions While there is no doubt that a large percentage of murders and other criminals escape the punish punish- punishment punishment punish ment they deserve the number of inno innocent ent persons who are convict convict- convicted convicted convicted ed some of whom are put to death is perhaps greater than is generally supposed This is true even among some who confess to the crimes with which particularly they are arc charged particular ly in cases where confessions are extorted through third degree methods Several cases were cited I by Robert Cantwell of the Chicago bar ar recently including the folIo Y follow follow- I ing lin In the case in Vermont two brothers confessed to a mur mur- mur- mur der murder but the man supposed to have been murdered showed up later I alive and md well In Illinois three Trailor brothers confessed to mur mur- murdering mur- mur murdering murdering dering a man named Fisher and witnesses testified to having seen the dead body yet Fisher turned up alive In the same state a man manI I named Turner was sentenced to death but secured a new trial and before the second trial could be held beheld the alleged victim returned These These- are only three out of a lar alar large e number of similar cases cit cit- cited cited cit cited ed by Mr Ir Cantwell who declares that he has authentic records of no less than persons who con con- confessed and were executed for mur mur- mur- mur ders murders although their supposed vie vic victims vic victims tims were found to be alive after after- afterward afterward afterward ward This is not intended as a plea for laxity in bringing the guilty to justice but it serves to show the great responsibility which rests upon juries and judges as well as aswell aswell aswell well as to the unreliability unreliability of circumstantial evidence even when accompanied by a con con- confession confession confession of guilt in some cases It particularly frightful illustrates the fright fright- ful injustice of lynching under any circumstances |