Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-04-10

caster Inteii,sencer.
York Daily, Ind.
The case Of SteiHmau and H.nSol. dis
barred by Judge Patterson, of Lance Stcr
for editorial criticism upOn an admitted
miscarriage Of Justice il the latter's c'il!t,
has attracted universal attention. The
arbitrary action OF the .iuig" !. - ''.dt!nucd
by the entire press Of the state. am, 50 far
as it had opportunity to speak, by tie press
of the country. The Phladelphia Times
discusses it as a judicial crime; the New
York Sun compares Patterson i ~cg0ggs,
Jefreys and Noah Davis and every nC VS.
paper in Philadelphia, from the i"'..icni-
ent Ledger and the gave -N0rh +r,'r'1n
to the lively NetrS and the hyIili,n sur.
unite iii the chorus OF eXCclati" T. Law
yers also appear to take the sam" view.
Patterson it is well known has not 1ae sup
port Of any member OF the Lancaster bar,
who is at once disintcreste ed and pcctable
Mr.. Gowen and Judge Black lon since
declared that the judge had flown higher
than he could roost, and this seems to he
the cottled opinion Of the profession.
The case was very plain one. Certain
parties named Snyder were indicted, tie
prosecuting officers and counsel for the de
fence met, and agree, to let the defendants
OIL. because they were the best Repubh-
can workers IL t,.c wdrd. This waS Ci-
lectcd by Il false statement 70 the court
in which counsel on both sides united. that
there vas no c@SC against the ~nydclS.
IN an action for ill., ,ralESt the W" Er'.
brought hv the !,,T, RS implicated, this
state Of facts was clearly established. bll;
Judge Patterson took no notice OF them.
He did not summon . Republican officials
to answer UrtEclr corrupt imposition upon
the court, which h&G been legally proved
before him. and which had "ontcsSCI1y led
TO "a ~ros- pelHoI sion Of justice. HW
when. in consequence OF the pressure OF
public opinion, the Snydcrs were again in
,icted and pleaded the previous verdict III
lieu OF :; second trial for the same Offence.
and the INTELIICENCER drew attention L.
the fact that the judges, prosecutor. de
PENDANTS. lawyers and indicted criminals,
were all "f the same political party.
Patterson suddenly became cNrrmr!E
sensitive about the honor OF his court.
Henscl and Stcinman were promptly
"Lalcd" before his Judgment seat. an,
ruled to show cause why they Sh"Nh
no; hc punished for contempt, AMI why
they should not be thrown over The ban
TEcy answered that they had committee
no conten.,t, nor had they carried thrHI
selves q "rrwisc than well and faithful.
in the :t.iccS as attorneys. The" lIU
made ti:y publication as editors Of = pull
lie i0ulIl..I and for the pu@.ir good. |
the judge considered himself ptv.vmlli.
a~gricvc,I. he had his remedy t:ity W,-
ready to answer him before 4 jury liz 4.
action for libel But they denied hi II T.:
to sit in Judgment on his own case. ~,
ntict an infamous sentence rp'A ,'u :.
withou: trial.
After weeks Of hesitation Patterson il -
dismisscS the proceeding for co!teni't. t.l
di>buS thc attorneys for their !. r~'..,
offence to hinl in their capacity a c,l.,5.
This he does i'll a weak. driyclIinG @! Hi"u
which can hardly be read without c%"i.'..
a pti:Ul sense Of the mental. mora. Il
professional deficiencies Of the un!r.: jul
Judge. who has undertaken to pCr,v "a
power OF his high office. t. Wrrah h.a ...
Sonal vengeance upon 4 couple OF IeN -i'.i
who happened to offend linn lv It" ,..i
nently Just criticism. but hp j!.',. @"
also to he members Of the bar. TO-. "I
Il compound OF Ignorance and m2iic,. ..;c.
ought 10 he no room on any hru":: il
civilized country. Of course th1 >,IpTt...
court will read Judge Patterson Il I,"onc
lesson but that Will be hardly enough
the general impression is that the I."-i IL
turc will have an important duty .n ,r.a
form i'll his case.
Revoke 1t step CoW,9
East0n Free Pres, Eul;
1t has been reserved fer = IytNt.. :. -
judge in Lancaster county tu 81. I.nJY Ia
position and bring The jlldicil!'o Ct j, Ills Il
wanna into iurthc: contempt by un A., OH
veDgeiul malice towards two }uIl4 nvlll
bers OF the bal. who as editors, o. 4 pubn
journal criticised Judge Patterson 5 con
duct. As the telegl0ms 10 The Fr(C Pros q
Saturday stated, Judge l'lttcr'ul. di.ui-~c,
Messrs. IenscI ani :5t"inmnn from l,. la
of Lancaster because the iNTl'-.- :,;j.A. T.!
newspaper. of which they ayv t." C..!,nl.,
drew conclusions from the s,,.rn tysti
mony OF q ease that mad been ,eiiuG b,
the court over which Judge Patterson pre-
sides. If the act OF Judge Patterson is al
lowed to stand without ChalleI,"c q,
proper thing for a judge to do. tuvn ther
is 10 such thing in Pennsylvania as :" lib
erty Of the press He has made an at
tempt to gag newspaper for conmcntin.
with entire propriCty on the cviGcur
produced i'll Il case that was hp
fore the courts. had been decided!
anC affected the issue rs to how far til
dominant ring il the politics Of Z count
should be allowed to tampCr with tn
administration of justice in the crimina
courts to secure political ends. This wa
the question Ji&cusscd on the cvilcnc
submitted in ITS iut.icial settlement. and f.
this discussion JUICE Patterson has dan,
aged and tried e ling into evil rcput
two reputable lawT.rs: Young men wit
the future before item and to whom
successful blow Of Is kind would DO a.
irreparahle injury.
But the blow "al..Ht be successful. Til
people Of Pennsylvania intend that Il!
press OF this state shall be free to discus
every question for the public informatio!
in which the people have all interest to b
informed. 1t is only required that the pres
shall conduct It's discussions with iustic
and propriety. and the comments in th
Lancaster 1NTELLIGENCER on which til;
oppressive act Of Judge Patterson i
based. were entirely within these limits
We clearly believe that Judge Patterson
should either correct his outraw wcOu
tyranny or be impeachcd because if tl,i
act shall be allowed to take its place anon.
admitted precedents there is 10 protection
wOrth speaking of against the avbitTari
ness Of Judges. We believe great all,
Fundamental principle Of liberty OF spccc!
has been violated and if atonemcnt is no
made T. = caggrieved journalists then tn,
press g. pennsylvania is under as bad
censor ~ and surveillance as that O
France, Russia. Austria, Turkey an,
other count. es in which no pretsnsc
made to on" degree Of liberty. Judge Pat
tcrson should revoke his malignant an,
UmiuStifahle act or be expelled from IL
bench 10 make room for a better ijIIu,