Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-04-09
CONVICTION OF JAMES.

In the District Court of this county, on
yesterday, VIM. James was convicted OF muir
der in the first degree for the killing Of P. II.
Dowd, at Virginia, on the day OF the last
election. This is the first conviction for that
grade of crime that ever occurred in this
county although a greater number Of muir
ders have, perhaps, been committed here
within the past three years than in any other
country in the Union. So common had be-
come the customary "man for breakfast
here, but 4 short time since, that one OF
those occurrences which in other countries
set the whole community agog with horror
and excitement, would here scarcely cause
an inquiry as to even the names Of the par
ties to the tragedy. "Ancther man killed
last night" was the casual remark, of too
unimportant character to be thought OF an
hour afterward. The thing, after time, be-
came rather too common, and people began
to tire of the bloody story day after day, and
muttcrings about the inefhciency OF the
courts and juries, and unpleasant sugges-
tions about the necessity of vigilance COM
mittees began to grow louder and louder.
The man-slayers began to grow rather more
cautious; and when the news came that the
informal tribunal of Judge Lynch had open
ed its spring session at Aurora and in Idaho,
the professional murdersrs stopped entirely
the practice of their trade, and the homicides
committed were generally Of more inn
promp,u and accidental character. The
bloody ground" of B street has been uu-
stained for many day. Men, however des-
perate, are deferred from the commission of
crime when they feel a certainty that due pun
ishment will inevitably follow. The "roughs"
Of Virginia dabbled their hands in gore as dali
ly pastime, only so long as the courts of the
country made hideous farce of the admin
istration Of justice, and the idea of con-
viction of murder was prepoSterously alb
surd. They stopped their devils work at
last not from fear of the courts, but Of the
mob. 4 change appears to have came over
the face OF affairs OF late. The courts, and
juries who were ever more TO blame than the
Judges or other officers Of the Courts, have
aroused themselves TO 4 sense Of their duty
towards the community. Quite number Of
convictions of manslaughter have recently
been had, and the culprits consigned to the
penitentiary whence it is to be hoped no i'll
timed clemency will liberate them. The
severity which has marked the adminiStra-
ton of justice in the court Of Lander county
will have wholesome effect in that quarter
Of the Territory. The conviction OF James
yesterday, the first capital conviction had in
the county, will teach the murderous scoun-
drels Of this vicinity that the reign Of ruttian-
ism and blood is over in this vicinity, and
that the assassin's occupations gone. We
have no sentiment of hatred against or de-
sire for vengeance upon Mr.. James. We
never, TO our knowledge, saw either him or
his victim. But we do recognize the neces.
sity of an example which shall deter others
from the too ready and willing shedding OF
human blood upon every trihing occasion OF
quarrel. The certainty of punishment is the
only thing that will awe and keep in check
the murderers who infest the Territory, and
the sooner an example Of the kind is made,
the better will it be for the peace OF the
country and the safety of the citizen.