The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1879-07-05
The Significance Of the Hill Verdict

An Atlanta (Gcorgia) special of the
18th, to the st. Loais Republican,
says Of, the recent verdict in the Hill
Simmons murder, which has created
90 much interest in Georgia aud else
where:
The conviction Of Hill last night
was due to the charge Of Judge Hill
yer: Stepping outside IF the spirit If
lax sentimentality that not infrequent-
" governs jurors in settling affairs
involving the virtue or honor of wo-
men, he delivered the law Just ~ it
stood, aud stated he would hold the
jury absolutely to the letter of the
law.
He held that iii a man catches a
seducer or paramonr in tagrumte delic.
III with hts wife he may not I've guilty
ofmurder, il he kills him in the spasm
Of passion engendered by this sight
that it seducer or parsmour is try.
ing to seluce "r commit adultery with
a wife, the husband may interfere,
but only to such an extent as will
stay the purpose or cut it short but
that IL, after the act has been perform.
ed and time for deliberation has claps>
ed, the husband then deliberately
looks up the seducer Or paramount aud
shoots him down, thu act ia murder,
and can be made nothing else. NJ
matter what the details are, or the
provocation, this general principle Of
law stands" When this delivery was
made, it was felt that Hills chances
were desperate of this principle of
law covered his case. The charge
was received with deep establishment
and restlessSess.
It vas entirely new law to most Of
the hearers, and had a visible effect
on the jury. 1t was said that the ju.
~ was largely for acquittal, but that
upon this charge changed rapidly.
Judge Hillyer said that be bad only
delivered the law 40 it is written and
that be felt his duty to do 50 regard
less Of the consequences. While
there 10 a very deep feeling Of sympa-
thy for Hill aud his kinsmen Judge
Hillyer Is very generally upheld. and
BY about all Of the thinking men.
The legal status If his charge is ap-
proved BY nearly all lawyers, ami it
10 only because it strikes down pre-.
conceived opinions and overtlrows q
practice that has become law BY cus-
tam, that it is criticised.
1t 10 the universal talk of tie town,
and 1t erects new code for Georgia.
The defence will move for a new trial,
and will set up insanity rs a defence.
There is no hope for them to win un-
der the old theory with Hillyer on
the bench, and, since Hillyer has es-
tablished the precedent all othe, jadg.
90 will probably charge a. he did.
The pistol law is dead in Georgia and
oil questions will hereafter be pat in
tho courts.
It will he u sad day indeed for the
South when Judge hillyer's doctrine
has universal acceptance. Tue Ger.
tain fate the seducer met when liz in
vaded the home and hearthstone Of
4 gentleman, has done mote to pro.
tect female virtue than all the writ.
ten laws ever exp"unded. We 10
member wildly, tie sickening details
Of the Beecler Triton scandal, and it
ia to sucll leasts "a this--valgar and
brutal-that Judge Hillyrr and his
class would invite "a. Hill WAS per.
fsctly justi6able on all moral grounds
10 alaying the scouNdsel who stabbed
to death the honor Of his home. and
no cOld statute eau excuse his cons
denuasioo, though a thousand judges
swors il,