The Nevada journal., 1859-02-18
Escape of Alex. Griffin.
In our issue of last week, we said

ing the position of an editor, and prostituting his
Of TO the public ear, to the vest uses
Such q course would only be pursued by craven
soul 1t is making newspaper the vehicle Of Sian
der, and seeking to mpregnate the public mind with
foul suspicious against one who has no adequate
means of defence"
The Democrat of this week seems to
admit the above sentiments, and adds
that it is the "duty of newspaper to
publish the facts, and leave those in
terested to form their own conclusions. 81
If the Democrat had done no more il
would not have placed itself in the po-
sition of contemplate slanderer, "by
piling up inferences and baseless insin-
uations" 1t did not leave to those in.
terestcd the forming of conclusions in
its first article. and it has not done SO in
its latter effusion, designed to give color
to its original mendaciousuess. 1t sta
ted its conclusions as to the manner
Griffin got his tools-it stated its cenclu-
siops as to Griffin knowing of Wilson's
(his co-prisoner's) failings, and his TAX
ing advantage of tit stated its conclu-
sions that Griffin would be again con-
victed-and more, it stated its conclu-
sions under the cowardly form Of "thcy
say" that Griffin never broke jai!-leav-
ing the still more outrageous conclusion
as a necessary consequence that Mr..
Boring, or his deputies broke the cell
door, and sawed off two iron bars of the
outer window to create the impression
that Griffin had thus escaped, and cover
up their criminal acts in allowing pris-
oner to go at large on his "parole." So
far by its own showing, in its first article
it forfeited "the support Of an intelligent
community"
Let us examine the second article by
its own rule. 1t concludes that Nc
Connell & Niles, his lawyers, appealed
for him for pay to the Supreme Court,
although they had not the remotest
idea that new trial would be granted"
and that the appeal was taken to allow
him an opportunity 20 escape; and it
rciterates its conclusions as to the man.
ner of Grifin's procuring tools, and asks
if it is not reasonable" so "to con-
clude."
Jfthe Democrat has any idea of the
duty of a newspaper, by its own articles
it shows itself recreant to such duty.
But this is nothing new in the history
of that sheet. From it's first inception
as the Young America down to the pres
ent it has signalized its imbecility and
petty malice by endeavoring to blacken
the regulations of the men that exci:e e
its cupidity or spleen, until the public is
at loss which trait it displays most
prominently-its milk and water princi-
pies, or its libellous hate.
To show that we did not err in our
readings of the article of the Democrat
last week, we refer to the Sacramento
Bee of the 10th. which states on the au-
thority of the Democrat that "the Sher-
IF allowed Griffin to 60 about town on
his parole and unmatched" that "the
REPORT goes that ''he escaped by saw
ing two bars from the CRATES of his cell
window" but "that it is believed by
many that he broke his parole and did
not break Jail at ALL" and it cites from
the Democrat the Grass Valley story, as
sustaining this view of the case. Yet
the Democrat says it made no charge
against the "Sheriff," or "that Griffin
did nor break out of Jail" If its article
did not do both, how did the Bee get its
facts 1t is true the article of the Dem
ocrat did not directly charge these things
that would be too manly and straight
forward for its instincts-it contented
itself with inuendoes that answered its
purpose and left hole to sneak out of.
Now as to the facts. The Democrat
first asserts that Mr.. Niles, of the firm of
Mcdonnell & Niles, one day heard the
door of his Office open and saw Griffin
enter; that Griffin talked about his case,
and said he was out on parole; that he
left in few minutes, and no officer was
with him. Mcconnell & Niles are both
absent from town, and we cannot give
their statement in this matter. But af.
ter the Democrats first article Mr., Nc
Connell told Messrs Z. Moore and E..
Burrell, that at the time referred to. Mr..
Lenhart was at the foot of the stairs
watching his prisoner, and further said
be had told this fact to the editor of the
Democrat after his article and rebuked
him for his assertion. This was "about
two weeks before his escape" The
visits to the post Office, &c. were made
fho eopa t.v,a op1 The &C.,,