Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1881-12-26
the TRIAL.

II il but natural that there should bs
much speculation throughout the land
with regard to the result Of the Guiteau
trial. Juries with US have become very
uncertain. and perhaps no plea made
by skillful lawyers tends to confuse .
jury more than that Of insanity. And
IL IL natural that much indignation
should DO felt by those persons who
have read accounts Of the proceedings
Of the trial. Guitesu. instead OF being
treated as an admitted murderer, 10 per-
mittsd to perpstrsts jokes, and to insult
witnesses In Q manpsr never before
known in . criminal trial In thia eoun.
try. To cur own people. ~ we'll Is to
Europeans. the trial seems SO f~arcical
that Il has become the subject Of much
indignant comment. The cold-blooded
murderer OF the President Of the United
States permitted to indulge In bad jokes.
to bully the Court and to insult wit
nsssss; and that too at the capital Of the
nation! So universal has the feeling
become that the trial 10 . farce. that
Mast. tho great caricaturist. but gave
expression to that feeling when he pic
tursd Guiteau in the cap and bells Of .
clown. sitting on Gsrasld's grave with
the legend below: "From Grave to Gay;
Anything to Win Nosoriety."
A consideration OF these facts leads
n to ask: II the jury fail to convict
Guiteau. what will become Of himf II
the jury by their verdict declare that he
Was not saus when be committed the
cowardly murder. therefore not respon-
sibls. and cannot be legally hanged. shall
there DO NO redress for the nations
wrong2 Shall II DO said by the civilized
nations OF the earth that in the United
States justice was not msted out to the
assassin Of the President. because Of the
sickly ssntimen;ality Of the. people who
sit on juriss therei Shall the affsctionats
wife who watched so patiently and so de-
votsdly by the bedside OF the dying man
during those long summer days. and
whose whole life will be embit,ersd by
tho memory Of her great loss. learn that
the depraved villain. the cause OF her
sorrows. has been permitted to walk
forth q free man, because OF the subtle
t~schnicalities Of law. while her husband
lies slseping in the tomb' Aud shall the
loving children OF that kind father be
told, that In the city where q poor little
girl is made to feel the strong arm OF tho
law for stealing bread TO satisfy the
craving Of hunger. the assassin who took
from them their best friend. to whom
they looked for guidance and support,
has committed no csimef And shall the
fond mother who proudly saw her son
rise step by step from humble beginnings
to the highest office in the gift OF . free
people. and who thought that in her dc.
clinipg years his strong arm would sup
port aud comfort her-shall she 60 down
ia borrow to her grave with the knowl.
edge that no punishment was visited
upon him who killed her dutiful boyf
But II can hardly bo possible that the
vain and eeotistical assassin will be 40.
quilted. II hs shall be acquitted. Why
should he not meet the fate that . father
with . loaded gun In his hand would
msts out to Q wild beast caught in the
act Of killing his. childl Talk about
bowing to the arbitrament Of law when
l~aw.abiding citizens are murdered In cold
blood. and q jury declares the murderer
guilty Of NO crime! Law becomes q
hideous mocksry when cunning villainl
can escape its justly deserved penalties.
Aud hs who shall advocate the lynching
Of Guiteau. should the jury fail to con-
vict him. will but echo the sentiment Of
almost our entire people. As DO showed
no mercy. let him receive no mercy.