The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-11-12
THE MURDER CASE.

The examination in the murder cas-
has now been in progress six days. 1t
length is due to the fact that circumstan
tlal evidence is always unreliable an,
needs to be thoroughly sifted. Beside
where there is no direct testimony ever,
shred of testimony becomes important
From the testimony thus far adducet
that portion of the county has grown
fearfully immoral. There can be NJ
doubt that whoever committed the crime
the motive was concealment of improper
relations with the girl. The whole thing
seems to be nasty stew of lewdness and
a moral stencil in the community.
A couple of the witnesses left them
selves in very bad shape because of their
forgetfulness of facts which it was only
natural they should remember. Wheth-
er this was ill-advised caution on their
part or not, it was very foolish pro-
ceeding as suspicion is very active in this
matter. No matter what the result of
this examination it seems the matter will
not be allowed to drop. The county
board now in session, judging from the
opinions of individual members, will
offer a reward for the discovery of the
murderer. They pronounce it cold
blooded, diabolical murder and insist that
the guilty party shall not escape.
There is considerable talk about the
officers in this case and they are blamed
on the one hand for being too active and
on the other for not being active enough.
The writer perhaps knows as much as
any one what the officers have been doing
in this matter and knows that they have
been influenced solely by desire to find
the guilty party and that every shred of
testimony bearing upon the case that it
is possible to collect has been gathered,
and those who have been employed to
collect testimony have had the instruction:
'follow clue which promises to dis
cover the murderer no matter to whom
it may point" Persons who have no
further knowledge of the case than that
a murder was committed and that Morris
has been arrested on suspicion say if he
did not belong to a good family che
would be convicted long ago." This is
all sheer nonsense. Morris is suspected
and nothing more. As suspicion rested on
him more than any other he was arrested.
But there is not shred of direct testi-
mony SO far and the length of the ex-
animation is to determine whether there
is enough to hold him for trial. If i'm
proper relations with the girl is proof
of guilt, he does not stand alone in the
matter. Any talk that the officers have
not been active does them great wrong.
Singularly enough, they are found
fault with because they have been too
active, and so they are subjected to fire
on both sides. An innocent man should
never object to the severest tests. They
cannot affect him, and if he withstands
them it is an added proof of his inno-
cence. In fact he should gratefully
welcome everything which puts his in
nocence to proof. A detective was very
properly employed on the case, and as
Morris was talked of in connection With
the crime, the detective very properly
gave particular attention to him. An
accused person must submit to great
many things which he might justly pro-
nounce an indignity under different cir
cumstances.
Let the people be patient in this mat
ter. The interests of society will not
suffer And let public sentiment sustain
the officers in everything they do to find
the guilty one. They are working for
the good of the community, not for their
Owl. And let no one jump at the con-
clusion that because murder was com
mitted and person arrested, he must
be guilty.