Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1869-06-29

Inc Trial OI n. M. Yerger, at
Jackson, Miss for the murder of
Colonel Crane, has so far progressed
that brief resume will be of interest
The plea which the murderer puts
in is that the military authorities
have no Jurisdiction in his case. He
is not, and never has been, in either
the military or naval service, and that
therefore, he is accountable only to
the civil authorities. That point has
been met, in principle, by the Attor-
ney General Of the United States in
his recent Texas opinion. There is,
therefore, no occasion for discussing
that. 1t is an incontestable fact that
the civil courts utterly fail to preserve
the peace and deal out justice. We
have no fear Of the verdict being set
aside for want of jurisdiction. The
case must rest wholly upon its merits.
This Yerger is politician of some
local celebrity. In 1861 he was q
bosisterous fire~eater. Since the war
closed he has been an obstructionist
Vi lilo iklObb OACualfc bOIU.
He was recently called upon to
pay his taxes. This he refused to do,
not once only, but repeatedly. He
would not recognize the existing civil
government, and right here is a glar.
ing inconsistency. When the tax
gatherer repealed to him for his as
sessment he is filed with venom at
the idea, and protests that there is
no civil government which he is
bound to support. Yet now that he
is cited before military tribunal, he
turns around and claims the right to
be tried by the very authority which
he before refused to recognize as hav
ing an existence.
At last the Mayor of Jackson, Col.
Crane directed, as was his duty to do
that levy should be made upon
Yerger's property. This was his of
Tense. For thus complying with the
requirements of his official oath
Mayor Crane was attacked byYergel
with the traditional bowie knife
The deadly assault was made in the
open street, and in the presence Of sc
many witnesses that there can be nc
gainsaying the facts. The murderer
tried but to no purpose, to get up Q
quarrel. He insulted Crane in every
conceivable way, hoping his victim
would furnish the pretext of selfde-
tense; but duly mindful Of the dig
nifty of his office, the Mayor refrained
At last this model politician, exas.
perated all the more by tho failure
of his trick, made a rush at Crane
and stabbed him, not once or twice
but repeatedly, leaving him dead
70 aggravate the case still more, the
bloody coward had previous to hii
attack satisfied himself that His
Honor was weaponless. 1t is impos-
sigle to conceive of more dastardly
and wanton murder.
Some of the people were shocked
by this murder and held public
meeting to express their indignation
but such was the prevailing public
sentiment that Yerger walked home
unmolested, but no steps were taker
TO procure his arrest. The civil au.
thorities passed the affair by as if the
Mayor had been q mad dog or a rat
1t was only after the civil authorities
had been given time to act, and by
inaction become accessory to the
murder, that the military interferec
and placed the murderer under ar
rest.
In view of these facts, we mos
sincerely hoye that the sentence O
death will be pronounced, and then
as swiftly as COMFORTS with prOprie'
ty, carried into effect. An example
should be made of this infamous
wretch. He has forfeited his life, BIZ
has no claim upon Executive mercy
and the good of the State, and the
South generally, demands that he BIZ
hanged. We expect he will be-
Mete out justice to him and the re-
straining effect upon similar bulliel
would be most salutary.-Chicag
Journal.