The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1875-02-05
THE. eERANp MURDER CASE.

| with Governof Grover for sparin,
" Gerrand's life. 9 M
This is an unfair presentation o
$, our position inthe gArrand matter
d We have not SO expressed ourself
u and no sentence has appeared in tn,
" DEMOCRAT which could be tortured
! into, such a construction. We d,
{ mot 'see how His Excellency coult
! have consistently and decently avoid
: ed cpmrlmuting, the sentence of Ger
rand after the recommendation of thu
'gljnsstiess Of the Supreme Court hat
been handed him What before wal
4 simplyra consistent determination tc
: perform a sworn duty would aftei
that haYe been, readily construed in.
! To- a Stubborn prejudice and would
bare been snatcbed at az a sweet
Z morselto be rolled under tile tongues
,,'Pof Bis political enemies What we
!, object ~ lis the meansrby which a
state Of sympathy and dafesliDg was
worked up in behalf of the murderer,
IN thelvefy face Of his double trial
and double IconYietion, This was
all done in Marion county where the
scene 0Eithe tragedy was laid and
where he had the fullest benefit of
'thdt enlarged \ and liberal Justice
(which our Salem contemporary
affects toibe 30 proud of.
aaIto cannot be denied that the
fablest efforts had been made by
learned counsel in his defense. The
courts had given him the fullest
benefit of all legal technicalities, and
the Governor had even interposed
ExecutiEe clemoncy to postpone his
doom as long as it was possible with.
out violating the majesty ofthe law
or outraging the designs Of justice.
Twice had he been tried BY twelve
good and true mon, of his county,
4 who were under solemn oath to- give
him every benefit of a doubt of his
guilt which might occur to an un-
biased mind, and twice had he been
convicted of wilful and premeditated
.mlrdeEssdNo stronger case Of de-
liberately concocted and fendishly |
executed murder has ever been made |
out in the annals Of our State. Yet,
Notwithstanding all these patent
evidences Of guilt, it is the boast Of a
large number lof persons of both
sexes that they left no effort un-
spared TO secure his release from the
legal penalty Of his crime. Petitions
were circulated, exciting and sympa-
thetic newspaper articles were fulmi-
natod, pulpit orations were hurled
forth, professions OF, petitioners
bosieged the Governors Office day
lfter day, and every possible device
md clamor were brought into
to eonstrain His Excel
ency to be swayed from the path
y, duty and To- shield the murderer
rom that doom which thecourts of
usticedhad twice pronounced upon
lin and which had been fully ap- {
,foyed by the highest court Of resort /,
inown to our cQmmonwealth. 1
This we believed then and believe |
till was all wrong, and it is infinite I
y to the credit Of His Excellency t
hot he withstood this persistent
iege Of the clamorous sentimental
sts, paying no heed to theirmaudlin T.
awnings. The band of morcurial o
,ersohssof all sexes who day after q
lay haunted his Office, and even in U
aided hisdomestit circle, denouncing r.
i'm as cruel, unmereirUl and heart
Bss in refusing to interfere Between
ierr4nd and the gallows, in their
xquisite. sensibility for the mur. =
erer, evidently lost sight of tho J,
Victim in contemplation Of u
ho slaySr's Just bnt spSllihg fate, y
'or, Hubbard, dYho pleaded with his : :
lprderer fors.bia life on bonded :,
nee, there was no mercy shown. y
10 liescold, Stark and silent under ,
hc winters SHOWS, whho his mourn =
ng widow walks the Garth Shear .
lg life-long hunger in her heart 4
70 thought Of her white, stricken Vt
ice stayed the bullet Of the assassin; &C.
0 Care cf her grief and agony seems u u
, have entered into the minds of :.
nose whose loud boast it il that y
ley have savod tho murderer from l
40 dogth which ho SO Gendishly 81
leted out ltp his victim, We elask al
lose who hayainterastod themselves r'
, actively am Germndsi behalf TO e'
ut thdmselVes in the place OF
-pbbards moqrping relatives Ii Of
ny one Of these sopsi6yely merciful n.
Dsiogers Of tho Governor had beon g
erelt Of u husband, father, brother :,
; SON in this iiendish manner, it is N
Iioto predict that instead Of their q,
ames appearipgon the petition for n
10 murderers escape from death, q,
lev would have mAtle every nossible 4,