Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-08-09
MOLLlE MAGUlRElsM.
ARGUMENT OF
FRANKLIN B. GOWEN, Esq,
Counsel for the Commonwealth.

Counsel for the Commonwealth.
ON THE TRIAL oFTHos. MUNLEY, ATPoTTs
VILE, Pa, FOR THE MURDER OF THos.
SANGER, ATRAvENRuN scHUYL-
KILL COUNTY, ON sEPTEM-
Der LIST, 1875.
The recent trials at Pottsvllle ant
AIauch Chunk, Tor the numerous mur
ders committed in the anthracite Goa
regions, have attracted universal at.
tcntion, and has fully established the
fact that there exisr...-, those counties
secret oath bounGpontics$ organiza
ton, known as the Hollie Mfguires
who, at their meetings, in regular
business way, appoint committees To
burn property; menace and murder
men whom they cannot control. Az
this organization had at one time, Il
not now, ioot-bold in our county, We
propose to lay the argument of Mr.
Gowen before our readers, so that they
may learn just how this band of assas
sins deport themselves wherever they
obtain q foot-hold Hundreds of mur
ders have been committed within the
past four years, in the coal counties Of
this State, and the murderers successful
ly concealed, until recently six or eight
OF the Mollies have been committed in
Carbon and Schuylkill counties, and
will be hung at no distant day, W,
have most omphatically declared that
it is our belief that the tendency of al
secret oath bound political organiza
tions is to the same end, il makes nc
difference what namo the conspirator'
may assume. A full ncdged Molli,
Maguirc is q man who is ready to as
sail the life, liberty, property and hap
piness of his fellow-man, awaiting thu
orders of his associate conspirators Il
execute them. IL becomes the duty O
every citizen who fears God, loves hi
country and his fcllow-man, to use hil
influence TO crush out and expose thii
band Of organized murderors.
Mr.. Gowen addressed the jury OF
behalf of the Commonwealth as fol
lows
With submission TO your Honors
gentlemen OF the jury 1t is frequent
ly customary for lawyers, in opening
cause, TO refer to il as one Of grca'
Importance. | am sure that you will
bear with me, when | say that | dc
not exaggerato the merits of this cas-,
in stating that it is perhaps one of th'
most momentous trials that has evel
been submitted to q jury in this coun
try. 1t is one Of that class Of cases
which, for so many years, has disgrac
cd the criminal annals of this country
For the first time, after struggling un
uer reign Oh tcrror 'nat nus eA,eruc' c
over twenty years VIC are piaccu IRON
TO front with the inner workings Of I
secret association, whose members, act
ing under oaths, have perpetrated
crime in this country with impunity
/ desire TO say, at the outset Of my
srguihcn.' .nae Wneh y man Is ~, ',i''
ior ms ne, no matter what may DC tn'
gravity oil ms onense, ana no mater
what may pe the circumstances con
necteu win ms partioipauo ln u, itn
que 10 'ne auillh's'rasioh VI lust'o'
that he sh9niu nave q ialr ana lmPar
ual triai' IN my opinion, ~ Is as I'm
portant ior the administrator OF Jus
uce that inc prisoner snouiu DC 'rie'
iairly ana openly Dy an lmpar',a m
court ana jury US that 10 shouiu "
trlea at all ana IL ~ Is necessary U
vindicate the ehus OF justice that GRIM
mas shouiu DC trleu ana executed,
ls equally OF the same importance 'n''l
they shouiu DC tried larry anu openly
ana that Jusuce should DC administer
ca according 10 inc forms OF. iaw, y
they nave come down from our ialhers
ana that inc prisoners snoulu nave I'M
assistance oil able ana experience
counsel Tor inc defense ana 4 wan
to say here that i am not one OF lnos'
and nope there arc very lew u
this country-though IRON some re
marks which have heard l lear ther'
are some--who wonld reflect IN any
manner upon q member oil tho par 10
undertaking the defense oi crlmlna
IN Court of justice, no matter whn
may bo the enormity oil his chent
crime ii TINS prisoner Is guilty, n
must be punished, and be VIII be pun
lshedi but II IS oil lnhhlte impor'anc
that he should be punished after nav
ing had the assistance oi the aples
and most experiencea counsei at IN
bar. nave no reneetiohs 10 max
against our irleh1s on tno otnor s'e'
have no word OF reprooi ior 'nem 10
conducting TINS mans case oh IN
contrary, believe mat lawyer wh
runs the gauntlet Of pubic senumen
by conducting the defense OF a GRIM GRIM
nal whom the community mas perhap
adJudgod guilty, deserves nlgher con CON
mendat'on ana greater praise 'Vr ica'
lossly iulillllng nus uuty than aoes n
VINO enters upon the prosscu.'oll ol
case IN which nc pehe'es 'ncro ca'i U
no end put eonVicuoh'
, we ASK nothihg mere put an nnpa'
tiai trlal we ask no sympathy an
invoke no preoJuuice' we uy ,hl
man according 10 inc Jaw ana h'
, cordlng 10 ,hal Jaw wnlch you nay
sworn 70 administer, we ask 20" " !,
convict nm. w nat IL thls casef "