RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 15, 18 July 1923, Page 9

RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE

A little time back a,'shopkeeper, tired ; of having His place burgled, : and dis-'- ■ Ousted with what he ; regardeH":"a«; tlls^ ■ letharey' of •;the; ■ police; took Hhe, la,w into-his own'hands.' He laid aWhislcy ? "bait" for the latest burglai-he" wa»-S-' pecting,-; The next morning.. the;■jjlds» j v was empty, and the bird had f\own>-but-"'; the shopkeeper told .the policed they ,'.=_ Would find the man in hospital.; 'They- k did.: He ■ was' lyinc' prostrate in bed. He went out to the "bait," and-now Tiai • ; two years in which- to repent, behind -r the gaol -walls;' Butwhat if he'had diedt;" Has the householder the. right -thus"fo~*.• take the iaw into his own hands? At* i. not.even-:biirglavs,'like other human-be--ing«, members.of society? ;The questipn,/: of the ■ rights of- householders .in .'.this"Mr' .>, sjject has . given rise ,to: an- interesting"* controversy. '. The cerieral ;.view '■'■, is. ai civilian is treading; on, dangerous;, '. crpundin 6uqh-a..case, and ■ that.a.nousi-'-'o holder,' on discdverins a liur2lar'."oiTlw "'-. premiies, is -not Justified" in. ■shop.tjnjf,:6» taking,other such extreme measures;iin--.: less he believes the. intruder' intend* 2 violence. ; His job, in-short, is. narrowed;; down _ .to. the 'feat of, capturing ,the • i>UT: v jrlai* intact,. leaving ; it, to \ the. ■rjolicei^and .■ ].- the Judge anil jury "to do. the;.rest:. ' The pioneer of this new way! of catching-: burglars s stoutly defended"his "action !in '''}i Court pn the 'ground. that the; police' could' not catch the burelars for him. One' of V the afternoon .riapers, .in ;di6cussin(j t£e - question, says ;that, etricfly" spjealdng," *.: householder.^ should, before.;shbp.tinjj; or ';. laying "baite," find put if tiKe burglar;-in-'.'..'i t&iiH&j violence. ■ But, as : it admite, _ bar- ' glars sometimes hiive" hasty temperi. and., might .resent, beintr • questioned., '.■ It '.i*'" certainly an ihterestinz; point. ;;'.'. ;" \,