The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-06-27
THE CURRIE CASE.
Mckinney inquirer.

Mckinney inquirer.
The acquittal of Jim Currie, at Marshall,
on Saturday last, charged with the murder
of Porter, excites untayorable comment
from the press of the state. Indignation is
beyond bounds at Marshall, and serious
charges are made against the court, the de-
Tense and the jury.
Morris County Banner.
Last week James Currie was tried at Mar
shall for the murder of Ben. Porter, an
actor, about one year ago. The evidence
showed that Ourrie was drinking and that he
brutally murdered Porter without cause. But
his lawyers introduced witnesses to prove
that when the bloody deed was committed he
was temporarily insane from the use Of
liquor. On this himsy pretext he was ac-
quilted and turned loose. A storm of indig-
nation will 90 up all over the country at this
action in THIS notorious case. The court
house was crowded with people, and the ver-
dict was surprise to almost every one.
Denison News.
The news of the acquittal of Currie caused
profound astonishment in this city. If the
shooting down of Porter by Currie was not
crime in the eyes of the law, then no mans
life is safe. All that is necessary for man
who contemplates murder is 10 commit the
deed while drunk, and he is safe This ac-
Quittal of Currie will be sounded from one
end of the Union to the other as sample of
the way crimei is winked at in Texas: The
damage it will cause our state is incal"ulable
and to great extent irreparabe.
Jefferson Jlmplecute.
MI. It'll 20 n,,.n;o o. l,;ll;,o poptar ot
Marshall some time last year, terminated in
the district court of Harrison county on Sat
urday evening by verdict Of 'not guilty
The result is not what was expected from the
evidence as published, and has caused good
deal of feeling We have never been CONVEX
cant with the case and therefore have had nc
commeats to make. The trial by jury is con-
sidered the greatest safeguard to American
liberty, and we know no way of going be-
hind It. The only thing that surprises us is
that if the prisoner was adjudged to be in
sane why he should bs suffered to again 60
free before being relieved from that insanity
Mckinney Advocate
1t lamentably true that Texas has within
her broad limits many bad men, who Meth
err fear God or man; who care not for the
rights of their felowmep; who dare to shed
the blood of innocent men, and delight &c
blscken the escutcheon which the good pee
pie have labored hard to brighten. The best
men of Texas have, through long years Of
toll, endeavored to erase the dark blots tina
have, from time to time been placed upcr
their shield, and their hearts have grown sac
when additional stains have been added
To-day Texas is again saddened with thu
startling news that Jim Currie, the bruta
murderer of Porter,.at Marshall, Texas ha
been turned loose by jury ofTeXaus. Cur
ries crime was, indeed, black enough, bu
the blacker stain added by the jury's actor
will be harder to etface than the former.
Police Gazette.
The National Police Gazette is opposed t.
the wholesale abuse and reckless criticism o
Texas, her people, laws, etc. 1t is opposed
TO this spirit of unfairness in discussin!
Texan affairs. We hold it to be contempt
bic in any writer to be governed solely b,
his prejudces, especially when the object o
his Misrepresentation is a large state inhabi
ted by thousands Of people whose welfare
damaged and retarded by such course. w
would ask no more for Texas than for an,
other state. Let the same rules of criticism
apply to discussion of her affairs as are use,
when dealing with other parts of the country
This.course once adopted, all things consid
cred, she will stand comparison with the res,
Under the present spirit of criticism thou
sands who would settle and develop her re
sources, are kept away, and she is hampers
n her advancement to that civilization whic
her best citizens land they are big majority
desire.
Marli,, Rail
II was clearly proven that Currie brutal
murdered Porter, and assaulted him withou
any provocation whatever, yet, as is gettin
TO be a very common thing, that often az
pealed.to medical expert was called int
requisition in behalf Of the defendant, VIII
was drinking when he did the killing. This
hair-splitting +" largely expatiating" and e,
'ceedingly ethical individual, the said exper
actually convinced that jury that Currie wa
insane from drink, therefore rendering hir
irresponsible for his acts. According to tn
Currie jury, II is only necessary for perso
with dagger in his hand and murder in h
heart" to put himself on the outside Of
quart Of whisky, get as crazy as heather
G,lay his victim, and then play the insanit
dodge on the court and Jury TO come clea
utworked we'll In the Currie case, and ma
work well IN many others, but there shoul
pea change in our criminal law on this insaI
ity question.
81. Louis Post Dispatch.
Mr.. Currie, the drunken rufiian who fend
SHY murdered the actor, Ben Porter,
Marshall Texas, o year and half ago, W,
acquitted on Saturday night by a Jury of h
peers, after solemn elaboration of flftee
minutes. The jury had no doubt but tn
Mr.. Currio entered lunch room where Tn
hnoffenaivo person was sitting with broth
and sister professional that he wantonly 4
suited the lady and then brutally killed M
Porter because he chivalrously protested
out the fact that Mr.. Currie had be,
drunk for week, and had been itching