Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-04-13

c"ldolc, as late as saturday anu Ounudy
before it commenced, made last effort
to get counsel to prevent the case being
given away but was unsuccessful. Moth
ing then remained except to bring the
matter before the court, which l did at
the opening of the court Monday morn
ing before the trial, stating that l ap-
peared in behalf of the citizens who had
expended much time and money to dis
cover the criminal, and who desired that
the case be fairly and ably.tried by an i'm
partial jury; that such a trial could not
be had under existing circumstances;
that important witnesses were not present
and no effort had been made to
secure their attendance, the prosecuting
officer was acting in collision with the
defense to give the case2away, as many
believed, and offered to make specific
charges and furnish the proof to sustain
them. The court refused to allow my
protest to be filed, and stated in substance
that private citizens could not interfere
with public prosecutions, that the county
attorney must manage them and even if
he were acting corruptly to thwart the
purposes of justice the court could
not interfere to prevent it. On the
announcement of these remarkable pro-
positions of law, feeling that any other
efforts of mine would be useless. with
drew from the case greatly impressed with
the idea that life and property in this
State have very uncertain protection.
The trial, so far as the prosecution was
concerned, was mere farce, played under
the forms of law. The jury was COM
posed of bitter enemies-some personal
some politlcal-several of whom have
been heard repeatedly to express opinions
of the case, even during the present term
of court and oneof whom, as can be proven,
said before the trial" that Riley ought to be
hung for not killing Page"
AT least a dozen important witnesses
for the State, whose names am ready to
give, were not called. One who saw Ri
ley near my house the night of the shoot
ing, another who saw him on the cars a
day or two before Others who have re-
Gently admitted the existence of an Or
ganization in Austin'tto get rid of Page, ~
who have paid money to support this or
ganiZation and to employ counsel for Ri
ley, and know what it has done-all this
line of testimony was studlously left out
of the case. The witnesses for the State
had no protection while on the stand I'M
prosecuting attorneys allowed everything
of the most irrelevant character to be
dragged into the case without objection,
and their cross examination of defend
ants witnesses hardly arose to the dignity
of an idle ceremony.
Even the defendant, to the utter aston
ishrnent of everyone except those who
knew for what purpose the case was be-
ing tried, was allowed to depart from the
stand without showing up his criminal
record here and elsewhere. Many other
instances of like character occurred during
the trial, as I am informed.
The result no intelligent mind doubted
for moment The case involved a re-
markablc combination Of varied circum-
stances, and its proper manage
ment required consummate skill.
Bad faith and bad management
combined have turned loose one of the
worst criminals of the age to prey again
upon life and property, and those worse
criminals who hired him to do the act
feel temporary relief, yet it is only
temporary. Their guilt is as clearly seen
as if John A. Riley were serving term
in the State prison tor a crime which
they induced him to commit. | am not
The sufferer by this proceeding 1t
is no credit to the State if under
the organized forms Of law it is powerless
to protect the lives of its citizens-it is no
honor to civilization when passion and
prejudice usurp the seats of justice and
turn criminals out into the world, duly
licensed to rob and murder If it be the
law land l do not believe lt) that courts
are powerless to prevent criminal cases
being given away by prosecuting officers,
then the sooner the people take the mat
ter IN hand, the better and safer.
SHERMAN PAGE.