The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-01-10

commend the subject to your candid consid-
GRAFTON. sS s sEs ,.la5"E .,E 49,,
JURY POWERS. 4a,, s..s.'.'
briefly adverted in my former message. to
the unsatisfactory operation Of the existing
law relative to the power OF jnries in the pun
lshment OF capital crimes. Tho Objectionable
features OF the law were fully and, forcibly
dwelt upon by my predecessor in has two las.
messages. The evils of the law thus reDeat-
eddy set forth, were empnatically. illustra ed
by a recent event, with the particulars Of
which you, are all familiar. The audacior1s
ing iii t!e death Of two citizens and the
wounding ola third, under circumstances q
peculiar atrocity, failed to receive the punish:
nlent which both the legal ard the popular
verdict w.uld have demanded. owing to the
peculiar detects OF this law. BY the simple
plea OF guilty, the perpetrators OF double
crime, richly deserving death. escape tina:
penalty bypreyenting the case from reaching
the jury. who alone, can intiict it. NJ cogen-
cy OF reasoning founded upon theory OF law,
can prove 80 forcible as such an cxperienc:
OF It's practice; and cannot believe YOU will
longer hesitate to act in the matter so plainly
requiring your intervention Aside from the
question as to the righttulness of the death
penalty, law which is so liable to abuse
and which adds to the ordinary uncertainties
OF the administration of, Justice demands
prompt abolition or amendment. It. offers q
constant tenptation to the worst criminals to
cheat justice OF its due, by making choice OF
their punishment upon their own plea: and
unless the evil be corrected, we may raasona-
ply expect ~ inturs, al increased resort by
culprits, to the easy expedient of avoiding all
risk OF death by choosing the certainty OF an
imprisonment. which in turn, may prove an
uncertain penalty, in view of the chances
which cling to life.
As you will be asked to appropriate the
amount ct the reward offered for the appre-
hension OF the authors of the Nocthield out
rage, it may not be improper to detail here
s some OF the circumstances which induced
the action taken in that matter. On the sixth
OF September last, a band ct eight men, thor
oughly armed and mounted, entered the vii
lage of Northfe,d, in this State, and; in mid
day, while some OF them sought to overawe
the citizens by boisterous intimidation and
reckless firing in the streets, which caused
the death OF one person, the remainder at
tempted the robbery OF the bank. The at
tempt was frustrated by the heroic frmness
OF the acting cashier, who paid the penalty ay
the tcrteiture Of his noble life. The delay
thus afforded, gave time for rally of the
citizens, who shot two OF the bandits, and
compelled the others to fly. The alarm of the
citizens widely spreading, the robbers were
close y pursued, but they succeeded in elud-
ing Immediate capture. Upon being advised
OF the event, at once offered reward Tor
the capture OF the perpetrators, but presum-
ing their speedy apprehension probable, from
the accounts that reached me, limited such
reward 20 81 500 for the culprits still at large.
The robbers continuing to elude their bur
suers, subsequently increased the reward to
Si,ooo for each culprit, the same to include
all expenses OF capture. Pressing requests
were made OF me for the EMPLOYMENT of the
militia and other military forces, but deem
ed II an occasion fer detectivesv vigilance and
CELEBRITY OF movement rather than the exer~
cise CT military force, which would have en-
talied much expense upon the State without
increasing the chances of capture in the alb
senoe OF special incentivea. After q lull in
the excitement OF pursuit, and a delay lead
ing to the fear Of their final escape, four ofthe
remaining robbers were finally oyertaken,
drlven INTO a swamp, and while one YVES kill
ca the other three We're wounded end captur-
eo Ihe prisoners received their trial at the
November term 0! the District Court of the
District, plead guilty to the crimes with which
they We're charged and were sen%enced to i'm.
pc1sonment Tor lie. Conflicting claims have
been made fer the reward offered for the
capture OF the robbers which could not be
granted both because could not determine
tite relative iorce, nor pay them ii deternn-
ca, until the requisite appropriation should
be made by yca. solicit your early atten-
ton to this matter, and suggest the appoint
ment CT commission to hear evidence AID
determine tha just apportionment Of TIE re-
ward. -.'..,.
deem it a source o! congraiulation that a
band OF desperadoes who have pursued q
long career of crime, and who by their daring
aaroltness and disregard tor lie, have eluded
the justice OF other States and kept large
extent OF country in constant alarm, have at
last been overtalSen by justice It is not too
much to claim the result as due to the persis-
tent energy and courage of our citizens and
to thrt love OF justice and respect for the SOW
erelgnty OF law, which are the safeguards of
popular institutions. Our people have Der.
formed service III behalf OF these, not mere
~ tor themselves, but tor the less fortunate
communities where such defences are less
reliable.
Nor can dismiss this subject without adj
dlng q word OF commentator to the lust
tributes which have been paid to the conduct
OF the brave man whose name will ever hold
honorable connection With it. No tale of
Nreeoe Or Rome, nor the annals OF heroism in
any age, recoun1s 3 decd OF nobler personal
SACRIFICE: Without the polnp ard emblazon-
ing, J.. Il. Haywood opposed gentle tirn,ness
to brutal diabol;sm, and calmly made choice
OF death in preference to lite, purchased at
the cost OF its severest fidelity. In that sacri-
hclal act he exhibited not alone exalted co,1r-
age, but such attributes Us attest all the
nobler possibilities OF human nature
COUNTY ORGANIZATION. 4: e 49, ..
'as' The absence otany express provision for the
organization of counties which have been for
mally established by law, has led to much
confusion and irreoularity and sometimes IN
contests between two sets OF officers, claiming
their regular election by the people. The old
territorial statute which explicitly provided
for the first operation of county government
was repealed, or SO modified, under the re-
vision of 1866, as to indicate no method OF pro-
Tcedure, and to divest the Governor Of any
express authority to the end proposed.