Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1875-11-19
ACaUIrTAL OF YOUNG AsHrM.

ACQUuTTAL OF YOUNG ASHIM.
The reading columns of the lnyO
Independent, of the 18th instant, are
filled almost exclusively with a report
Of the trial, and editorial remarks rela-
tive 70 the case of young Ashim, which
terminated on Thursday, the 18th in
slant, in the acquittal Of the defendant,
the jury being in retirement less than
an hour. In none OF the three ballots
taken vas there a single vote for con-
viction. One member twice cast a
blank ballot and on the third vote
came over TO the other eleven, all of
whom had voted squarely for acquittal
upon every ballot. While our space
will not permit is to publish even a
synopsis of the evidence adduced. we
will remark that a careful perusal of
the report ofthe trial iustifies US in the
statement that the verdict of the jury
was in accordance with the letter and
spirit Of the law, aud with
the principles of justice. The trial ex.
cited the most intense interest in Inyo
county, and the sympathy of the peo-
pie was generally evinced in favor of
the defendant. The Independent gives
the following graphic description Of the
scene in the court room on the evening
of the close of the trial:
"During the whole day tho attend.
ance, including q large number of la
dies, was very great, and after supper,
when General Clark for The prosecu-
ton occupied the floor, the large room
was literally packed with interested
spectators Of both sexes. Some there
were and had been from the first hour
OF the trial through to the end, who
felt a vital, most anxious and painful
interest in the proceedings. These
were the mother and sisters OF the
deathly pale young man whose fate
WAS in the balance. In fact, 8 o highly
wrought up was that mother, What
with the anxious days Of waiting and
suspense, b cl0seness of the t0baccO
tainted u most trying ordeal in
having to listen to the pictures of her
real n possible sOrrows, the extent of
the latter then to he determined, a.
portrayed by the able counsel doing
BATHS in her sons and her own teilall
as we'll, added to the scathing language |
OF the no less able counsel on the other |
side; so great Was the stress upon her |
feelings with all this, she fainIed dead
away and had to lie carried from the
rooin, just rs the court WAS closing the
instruction to the jury prior To telling
them the future of that young man
vas now wholly at their disposal. Az
that a OF proceeding nearly the ell
tire audience rose to their feet, a cir
cumstanee which added no little TO the
impressiveness of the scene"
The Independent sums up the case as
follows:
The jury believed that the plea of self
defense WAS "A good one, which, coupled
with the UNREASONABLE uncertainty
Existing as to hich person did actually
fire the fatal shot, aud also under the i
instructions from the bench in relation
to defendants right t. the benefit of
such doubt, justified but the one Of the
two verdicts they were authorized TO
name, that of not guilty. And who. |
honestly weighing all the fac!s and
passing Judgment as those whose oath
To do justice to both living and dead
requires, can say that the verdict was
moi the right one? We believe it WAS.
Others, having no more personal inter
est in the matter than We, land that Is
not the slightest, except such as every
OF the community must feel
think differently. We know perfectly
we'll that society suffers i'm every CASE
like this, which tends, by its uncer-
tainties, to prove to society tina the
law Is a shield, instead of a terror to
wrong doors; but society will suffer
less from the effects of that belief, so
long as it is but u belief, than by max
ny extremely probable it not abso-
Lutte wrong indemnify another.