An Innocent Sufferer

h seenis sometimos that the law was made to punish the innocent as much as he guilty. Thore has been a notable illustration of' tliis in the case of an Iowa 11:111 lately. In the latter part üf' May last, Mr. lacob Smith, a worthy and respeeted faruor, living ncar ltus-sell, Lucas county, was arrested, charged with having cominited a murder near Zanesville,Ohio,in 1853, or twenty-sven years ago. It was like a lap of thunder in the vicinity in which he i ved, as no man there stood more comiletely in tho confidence and reHpectof liis neighbors. lt astonished him still more, and oí' coursp he protested his entire innoence. The claim was that ho liad murlered his unole, secured $6,000 and then ame west. Mr. Smith was taken to Ohio n irons and lodged in jai!, where he was tept until week before last, when he had lis trial. It resulted in his acquittal, and u 8uch complete acquittal that those who lad been the tirst to doubt aud were the trungest in the belief of his guilt were most enthusiastic in his defense. Last week he returned to his homo, much to lis joy, of course, and to that of all who uiew him thero. The severo experience of tbis geutleman n being charged with murder, taken back ;ohis oíd home in Ohio, kept injail sevcral months, and then subjected to the large xpense of a trial, illustrates what an inocent man may sufTer. We suppose it vas simply annother of the many wonderul cases of "the sharp detective." Thero re undoubtedly some good men who are etectives. But there are many ráscala nd seoundrels who tako that guise, and as ie most complete protection to their vilainy take the name of the law. It would cem that for sucli an outrage as Mr. mitli has been adjuded thero ought to be rodress. But there is not, for the ' - ' : - live of tho pcriod works purely on tin: sui'face, and arrests his man at a venture. If it provcs a mistake, the man arrested must be the only sutferer, and the scoundrelly detective goos on to pounec ou some otlier inuoeeut man, and ijive tlic courts and the lawyer.s a chance to grind out another gribt at an innoeeot man's expense. In tlie good time tofciiog, by aud by, lel us hopo that we may havo a eUn.-, oí' : staresmen who will have both bjcains Qiiough and heart onough to frame laws for the protc tion of the innocent as well as the punihinent of the guilty.