Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-07-01
We cuRR1E BASE

a..
Marshall are requested To meet AZ the
courthouse on Monday next, at 10 o'clock |
IN the morning, TO take such action As il |
thought advisable in reference To the arti- |
Gle published in the Memphis PuBLIc
LEDGER denunciatory of Judge Booty |
Tor continuance in the Currie case"
If the lawyers Of Marshall take
time to act upon all the newspaper
articles commenting adversely upon
the continuance granted in the Currie
case, they will be kept buster than
usual for several years to come. The
LEDGER's article has been singled out
for notice because it was more pointed
than most of the matter which has
been written on the subject and also,
We presume, because it came from
friendly source. The LEDGER's par
TALLY for Texas and Texas people
generally is well known, but we
have given the people Of Marshall
an idea of the view taken of the
postponement in Currie's case by out
siders even in the South, and by those
who wish the State well. Thearticle in
the LEDGER which calls the bar of
Marshall together was based mainly
upon the telegraphic report of the
proceedings, and was entirely justif-
able, if we omit the sentence limiting
at mob law. 1t is true that Currie
did not grant any continuance in the
case Of Porter and Barrymore, but
shot them down like brutes, without
cause or notice, and the defiant mur-
derer has good reason to hope that he
will escape the merited halter Yet
mob law has been, and is liable
to be, SO greatly abused that we
can hardly consent to approve it under
any circumstances. As for Judge
Booty, we never heard his name before
1t simply appears from the report
that he ruled out the afhdavits of the
State whereby a trial at that term
could have been secured, and that his
rulings were far-fetched to favor the
greatest criminal of the age. That
we are not alone in this view is proved
by the following extract from an edi.
torial in a Texas paper, the Houston
Telegram "aNi9 'iH1 1
The continuance in the Curry case,
which was granted at Marshall on Mon
day, represents one of the greatest evils in
Texas criminal procedure. All the actual
witnesses of the killing were present, and
yet the defense swears that important
witnesses are absent. Upon this Himsy
excuse the murderer has vet another lease
upon the life he forfeited to the offended
majesty Of law. No human being can
forecast the future which lies between the
present and the day when the District
Court OF Harrison convenes again. n
mob may release him; an accident may
occur to the Jail; a keeper may. be bribed
Indeed there are thousand and one ways
by which justice may be robbed or hood
winked, and bloody life-taker turned
loose again upo1 an innocent, unprotected
and unsuspecting community. Is it moi
high time for a change of policy in this
respect by our courts2 The delay also in
wolves expense. While this is putting the
matter upon its lowest grounds, yet it il
one consideration which has weight Will
the people, who are called upon to foregC
their school privileges that murderer
may be fed and cared for at the expens,
of the State. 1t is all wrong. Give hin
speedy and fair trial. If he is guilty
hang him and be shut of the expense OF
his maintenance if he is innocent turr
him loose to support himself Much ha
+. been said and written on the subject o
continuances, but still the abuse continues
Verify we are patient people here il
Texas.
Perhaps the bar of Marshall will
take notice of this mild criticism also
If they can put any better face on thi
affair, we hope, for the good name Q
Texas, they will bring it out. But W
have an idea that bar meetings vii
not amount to much at present.
jury meeting which finds Currie guilt
of murder in the first degree is wha
Texas wants just now. 1t may be sal
that we have pre-judged the case. Q
course the law presumes every man
be innocent until he is proved guilty
but we have the oral testimony {
Miss Cummens, given at Mempht
soon after the assassination, and woul
not give it for all that Currie's prt
tended absent witnesses could swea
in week without cross-examinatiol