Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1878-08-21
SYMPATHY FOR cnARrz.
The Bodie ssStandard" Gives Elk,
pressf0u to it's Feelings.

PRESTON 70 heS H0rtHh
The SENTINEL is fair enough to admit to
its columns all sorts of opinions on all
sorts Of subjects. We have never believed
Chartz a bad man, or a murderer at heart.
Being weak-minded and easily influenced
by his mental superiors, he allowed him.
self to be braced up to the point Of killing
Kicker, which he did; first. in pursuance
Of advice that the note would justify him;
and, secondly, because he feared to be
called a coward by his immediate asso-
ciates, if he did not. There can be no
question in our mind that these we're the
promptings which impelled him to the
commission Of the terrible crime. His
deep remorse since the preparation Of the
deed shows a heart totally devoid Of malice.
Following are the remarks of the Standard:
We notice a strong disposition on the
part OF many of our contemporaries to
scrmonize over the conviction OF ALI.
Chartz, and his sentence to Imprisonment
for life. They seek to point a moral and
adorn a tale" from his fate, and as a rule
they treat him with great severity. We
have no acquaintance with Chartz, and no
sympathy for murder or violence, but it
appears to us that he has been the victim
of a most unfortunate combination Of Cir
cumstances, and that lie does not deserve
the full measure of %reproach that is heaped
upon him by his professional brethren.
The item which excited the resentment of
Kicker was by no means offensive. There
was probably no intention in the mind OF
the writer to give offense. Chartz was not
the author of the item, and had indeed
given orders that nothing of the kind be
written. After the publication Kicker
wrote q coarse, brutal threat to Chartz,
instead of seeking an explanation, as he
should have done, if he felt aggricved.
Chartz was compelled to notice the matter
in some way. He had been insulted and
threatened. When the two men met,
Kicker offered to fight Chartz, and the
latter probably used his pistol too quick
unnecessarily, as it proved, for Kicker was
unarmed. Chartz was given no chance to
explain the item. The worst ~opprobrious
epithet was applied to him in the letter,
and afterward he was called on to fight.
We do not believe that Chartz is guilty Of
the crime OF murder. We do not believe
he intended to kill Kicker when he met
him, and without the intention the crime
does not exist. His trial appears to have
been hurried close Upon the heels OF the
tragedy, before the bad blood e~ngendered
thereby had become Gained. The sentence
was to the extreme limit of the law-for
the term Of his natural life. Chartz has
our sympathy. We think he has been an
justly treated by the jury, the court, and
especially SO by the press. We who are in
the profession know how many there are
who take causeless offense at trivial items
that appear in our columns. and that an
editor is liable every day to be involved in
a quarrel in which he has no interest, and
in cases where he had no intention of
doing any one injury. The usual ending
Of such affairs is that the editor gets shot
or killed. This being the case, if any o.
the profession do get into trouble, we are
going to give them the benefit Of our
sympathy, if the facts will justify it.