Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-08-10
GEORGE P. MATHEs, EpIror
The SisleY Matter.

MS case VIII without uOuDJ take rank
among the most celebrated criminal
problems which have been presented in
all their knottincss for the solution Of
the courts. The examination which has
Just closed, would attract public atten-
ton from the mere matter of time cover
ed by it. 1t was patient and searching
to the extreme limit of human endur-
ance. Anything and everything which
could throw the least glimmer of light
upon the mysterious tragedy was laid
under contribution and the result is
now before the people.
While from the very nature of the
case, owing to the necessity for abreyia-
ton, the readers of THE HERALD could
not follow all the intriacies and rami-
iications of the testimony they have an
intimate acquaintance with the main
points Of this celebrated case and have
a solid foundation on which to base an
opinion.
The decision of the court holding three
of the principal defendants to await the
action of the grand jury is already be-
fore them. To the mind of the Justice
the evidences of murder were so plainly
apparent that he could hardly act other
wise and his action viii undoubtedly be
accepted as the only correct thing to do
in the premises by nineteen-twentieths
Of the people Of the county. The very
testimony of the witnesses for the de-
Tense themselves thoroughly demolished
the theory of suicide, leaving only its OPP
positc possibility, murder. At first sight
il might appear strange that all Of the
adult defendants were not held as equal
IL guilty, but the reason for not holding
Mrs. Hamilton, rs given by the Justice,
was that if their story of the occurrences
of that fatal Wednesday morning were
true SiSlcy's actions were undoubtedly
for the purpose of binding the eyes of
some innocent person and if any of the
four persons were innocent it was Mrs.
Hamilton. While some will question
this rs 4 mark of leniency it was APP
parent to those who had followed the
trial closely from beginning to end that
the court had perhaps some basis for
this assumption and in any case acted
with an uprightness and conscientious
regard for what appeared to him to be
his duty that is worthy of all praise
During the progress of the examina-
ton the friends of the accused have been
busily engaged in denouncing the pro-
cecdings as an outrage and endeavoling
to make capital for their side by point
ing shudderingly to the expense cntailed
upon the county.
just where the outrage comes in it is
hard to see. Had the officers of the law
done less they would have been direlict
in their duty and curses tenfold heavier
than those now hurled at them would
have been vented on their heads, in
many instances by thevery persons who
are now so busy bandying inyective
from the Other side of the fence
Within the past fifteen months four
homcidcs, murders, tragedies, call them
what you will, have occurred in Grant
county and thus far but one criminal
has been punished and he by his own
act in pleading guilty before the county
Judge, for which he is now serving his
time in Waupun In the words of a
spectator at the recent trial 1T is time
this killing was stopped While there
i, no desire To see an innocent person
suffer there is IN inclination to explore
these crimes to the bottom in order that
none of the guilty parties may escape
and it is this feeling which has upheld
the hands Of the county officials during
the recent investigation.
Pleas to prejudice and passion should
be allowed to cut no figure in the case
Whattho people demand as TIE HERALD
understands it, is what has been had a
thorough examination. let the weight Of
evidence fall where it may. One of the
counsel for the defense during the course
OF his argument charged that the exam
inatiun was brought about by newspaper
articles and the force Of public opinion.
The learned counsel was in this state
mcut Wiltingl} or otherwise miScon-
STRUNG facts. ANY one of those news
papers supporting the theory of suicide
claimed 10y himself and his co-laborers
have done more talking to the square
inch than all the press ON the other side
combined And certainly the gentle
man should not complain Of public
opinion when his own immediate sat
tclitcs were working i'll season and cut
to manipulate that public opinion into 4
shape for their own purposes.
The examination throughout SO far
from showing any bitterness was mark
ed with the absence of all rancor or i'll
feeling on the part Of those who had the
states side ~ the ease in charge The
defense had the wealth Of the county at
their back and the legal machinery Of
the county at their command to summon
witnesses. Nor were they Stinted in
time. Sixteen days and a half out OF
the twcuty-three actually passed in tax
ing testimony. were taken up by that
sd, and il is but simple justice to the
counseicmployed 70 say that they fought
the ease Tor MI it was worth. With
these facts before Us it is clearly evident
that there was much more fire than
smoke in the events of that June morn
ing the opposite of which the counsel
have endcavored to make appear.
We now await the action Of the grand
Jury and the higher court.
Preparing TO Run.
WHEN the wife of candidate begins
already to pay back tea and coffee bor-
rowed six years ago, it may be set down
rs fixed fact that her husband will