Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-11-14
THE NEWSPAPER CONTEMPT CASE.
90 Tho 10th Of last month, the Cniosso
Journal published the following article;

90 ,hs 10Th Of last month the CnIOsso !,
Journal published the following article:
rHE cAsE Of EArrgRrr.
Az the time = writ rt .lp,r.cdsas vas granted |
10 the ease " the murd-'.r chris. RAFFERTY, the I
pubus WAs blandIy assured that the natter Woald }
be examined into by thr supreme court
decided al oncc-tbnt possl6ly tho nA" ID
inl' notorious hum,n outgavt "op' -sug OF
layei Tor siug.o day. Iim' MOI De De.
ever, aua We hear vi no'' .os.d.aunv. how
kaderty's oounss' ,, t.6o. a. betn, done.
Ponoy Of . seems To be studying TIE
utay, aud evidently With sucies'.
"A RAD unO contTiuu'sI ti,Aoo 70 demon
crate that changing is plSJed out may no"
congratulate themselves on the success OF their
Httls game Their z,ncy Is operating 'PIeatid
~. We have 10 hssitancy ia prvphesyinE clear
through 10 the end just wuat will be- done with
Eadsrt, lie will be granted new trial. He
viii be ,risd somewhere within o year or two.
lie will 30 sentenced 10 imprisonment Tor ME
Eventually he will ho pArtoned out Aud TINS
10 spite Ol all our public meetings, resolutions.
committees, virtuous Indignation aud wat not
Aud why7 Because 400 Ia enough, nova
DAYS. t. enable man 90 putohsse In muuity
ifsm the consequences Of ruy crime
n next winters sssstuL Of tne legHiature
does not hermguealy seal up every cn'uk
and loop hole through which murderers now et
cape, IL will de.erve the bitter ccusu'e OF ever
honest man 10 Illinois. We must suppl our
mode OF procedure iu uur'rr trials. The erie :
insl should be- tri5d a. nuee, add wasn fouud
guilty should BE- hanged a. once. Hudtno quicker
hanged ihe better. The courts are nVF c'm
pletsly 10 tbs control of corrupt snd merccnary
ihystsrs-the iAckas Of tha lngal profession,
who feast and fatteu human D GOD spilled hy
tho hands 81 other mon. I'll this must De rems-
died. Thereon DO ioaUd = remedy, and 10 a'''i
be- found.
The occasion Of publishing he above ar.
ticls Va, this Rafferty, had been convicted
Of murder. and had been sentenced to be
hung. Y Is couuse. had procured from Sde
supreme Court 40 order suspeJding tie
execution. on some alleged ground Of HE
gality Of proceeding on BIZ, trisi 10 order
tha, the legality Of the proceedings nigh,
be examined by the Supreme Cont ard q
ne- trial be granted il warranted by AS
perfectly proper proceeding. aud ooo oi
which the prisoner had legal right 10
avail himself
After the Publication Of the article tb,
Supreme Court issued notice % the pro
prtctor Of Tbs JpuraaL Charles + wilson
and to ths edi,,r. ADGfow Sguum l. ap
pear before the Court and show proper jus
tihcsuon Tor 'hs publication OF au article
calculated to pr liice public opiaiou IA re.
gard to a case then p,uiug, or snow Why
AZ attuchmeut should cot issue sgallss then
persons tor contempt They did not a.
P-sr, but scot a written explanation. Til
explanation Was not deemed satisfactory, b,
The Court, aud attachment uu' issued auc
Msnrs. Wilson atd Sdumsn vcre br5ush
into court, uhsu they sad They bsd no for
thsr ansSer or explanation TO make. Th,
Cour. therefore fined Wilson 600, and Sau
man 500 for contempt.
Written opinions we're delivered 10 favor
Of the sc'ioo Of the Cour, by Justices Law
reuce, Thornton NcAhster and Walker
and adverse opiaioos were also delivered By
Justices Bfstz,, Scott and sheldon
Tnese opinioss are exhaustive and elabo
rate, and We should be glad to publish then
IL fun did our space sduit VI ii--tut ",
must content ourselves for the prssss, viii
this statement Of the Case