McCardie On Perjury

Sir Henry Alfred McCardie, Kt. (The Honorable Mr. Justice McCardie), amiably received reporters at his chambers in the Royal Courts of Justice last week, amiably delivered himself of a little seasonal philosophizing, defended the moral integrity of murderers, and incidentally reminded U. S. readers that New York is not the only place (see p. 10) where witnesses swear falsely and justice miscarries. "

The ordinary layman," said the Honorable Justice, leaning back in his chair, "has little conception of the repulsive amount of false evidence that is given in court. Complaint is sometimes made of the length of legal proceedings. If perjury could be stopped the length of the trials would, in the large majority of cases, be incredibly short. "

I think that deliberately false evidence is but rarely given for the prosecution in criminal cases of anything like a serious nature. The exception to this general statement is to be found in cases where children or girls, and sometimes grown women, give evidence against men charged with--ah--certain offenses. "

On the other hand it may be asked which of the persons charged with an offense gives evidence in the coolest and most self-possessed manner. My answer, gentlemen, is that it is the person charged with murder. I recall but few persons so charged who have not given their testimony in a quiet, confident, almost dispassionate way."

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