The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-05-05
TWO CASES.

Fred. Hopt will in the course OF
events be brought before the Third DIS
trict Court to be tried for the fourth
time for one of the foulest murders
ever perpetrated-th brutal murder
of his benefactor, of the innocent, KIND
hearted boy whose bread he was eating
and whose generous hospitality gener-
ally he was accepting Nobody has ever
entertained the slightest doubt OF the
guilt OF the accused in this case, all
agreeing that he did the killing in the
cowardly brutal way that has so many
times been described in the papers of
this city. While his guilt is unques-
toned, the man has three times
defeated justice through the
shrewdness of attorneys who have
been able so far to prevent his taking
off in any other than legal way in the
manner prescribed by the law. The
prosecution did not lack testimony, and
the defense only formally denied guilt.
but the prisoners counsel demanded
for their client simply fair trial-such
a trial as the law guarantees to accused
persons; a trial that was technically
and generally legal. The local court
having failed three times to give this
murderer all his rights in court, the
Supreme Court of the United States has
the fourth time sent the case back, de-
manding that his conviction and
execution shall be legal in every |
respect. Hopt has been defended
by attorneys who have not stood in the
front rank of the Utah bar in point OF
ability and legal knowledge and re-
source, and they worked without COM
pensatior. haylng been appointed by
the court to defend the prisoner who |
was unable to choose and hire counsel
for himself. At each trial one or two |
lawyers only have managed the case for
the prisoner, and while these gentlemen
have performed their duty faithfully
and as well as if they were working for
a big fee, much harder fight for the
life of the man could have been made
if his lawyers had been more numerous
and ADLER.
Last week seven of the brilliant
members of Salt Lakes most
talented bar fought hard for two
men accused OF cohabitaion with
more than one woman = an
offense which is common in civilized
communities the world over, and which
is thought so little about in most places
that men known to be guilty of 1t are
received in the best society and ad
United to the most fashionable churches
on an equality with the really pure
and upright citizen These lawyers
were working for pay, and every
body will admit that they earned their
fees, being faithful to their
clients, and employing their best
ability and knowledge OF the law and
the practice to save those who hired
them from the ignomlny and suffering
attendant upon conviction. But the
attorneys in these cases failed, and
their clients must be punished while the
murderer chuckles at the Court, though
the offense of the former is as much less
in enormity as mellon-stealing is below
bank burglary or railway train rob-
berry.
Now, if these same seven lawyers will
take up the defense of Hopt, and will
work for him with the same degree of
determination and apply the same
skill, learning and ability as in the case
of Cannon and Musser, they will secure
the scquittal OF the murderer, or will at
least prevent his legal execution and
permit him to die natural death.
Hopt is not a Mormon-he only
killed a Mormon-and in his trials
bigotry and hate are not the sentiments
actuating the Court.