Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-11-30
PUBLIC FEELING.


The shooting OF Joseph McMurrin by
Deputy Marshal Collin on Saturday
night is an affair to be regretted, whatever
may be the truth OF the matter or
whether the account of the one or the
other is true. That occurrence, with
which the public is familiar, indicates
better and more sadly than anything else
the state OF public feeling. 1t shows
that the feeling between Mormons and
non-Mormons in this city is intense, and
that things are on that strain that it will
take but little TO lead to riot, and perhaps
to worse things, and eventually lead MS
into civil war The shooting on Satur-
da'' night was the outcome of this feel
in Taking the account OF this affair as
g 3. by young McNIurrin as true, it
6 ly shows that he was the aggressor,
AM an aggressor without provocation or
ii5lncation. That he disliked Collin and
had II grudgc against him was no excuse
for assaulting him. If, on the other hand,
what Collin says is true, that there were
three or four in the lane, and
they pounced upon him, he
certainly did what ninety-nine men
out OF hundred would have done. If
the account of young McMurrin is true.
Collin did what ninety-nine men out of
u hundred would do. Collin was on his
way home, he living in the lane, which
10 ID Nlr 1
upon by man very much his superior
i'll size and strength, and he defended
himself as best he could. Another
thing must be looked at in
connection with the Collin case. II is
but q week or two since he was set upon
by another man. a man very much larger
and stronger than himself, and was
knocked down. Collin then made no
attempt to shoot, but very properly
left the law TO deal with his assailant.
But that occurrence was in broad
daylight and on n public street Yet
how different were the circum-
stances when he was attacked Satur-
day night. He was proceeding home
and was just entering the lane in which,
he lives, when he was attacked without
provocation of any kind. If there were
but the two men in the lane, Collin was
the man who was assaulted, and consid-
erng the time and the place he was fully
justified in resorting to theuse of firearms
to protect himself If there were others
with young McMurrin and they attacked
Collin, there can be no doubt but that
they intended to heap some indignity
upon him, to mal-treat him, or to
murder him. Ii such were the case, then
Collin behaved in brave and almost
heroic manner, and his assailants but got
their deserts.
At present it is impossible to know the
actual facts in the case, and the state Of
excitement in which the public mind is
at present makes it impossible to learn
the truth, or if learned, to pay it just
regard Thus far opinions formed as to
the cause OF the quarrel; whether the
two men met by mere accident; whether
the assailing party was there by
intention whether alone or in
company, have been based almost solely
upon sympathy for one or the other party,
and the political aft tions of the persons
forming such opinions.
This affair, as we have said, shows the
public feeling here more clearly than
ar hing which has yet occurred. 1t
s. vs. in what fever OF excitement the
ic mind is over the enforcement
O she Edmunds law, and that it
aoild take little to bring about a
';aio OF affairs little less than anarchy.
~ such times it behooves all to discour-
age anything tending to make the excite
ment more intense, the feeling more bit
ter Few can desire bloodshed, yet the
unwise action OF few might lead to an
armed conflict that would necessarily re-
suit in very great bloodshed. The state
OF feeling is such that il two persons OF
different sympathes should happen to
meet and have an alteration, or in
the excitement OF the moment use
hot words, such persons are very apt to
resort to the use OF deadly weapons.
Surely, then, moderation and cool COM
mon sense will best become all under the
circumstances, and will in all probability
be the means OF avoiding many sanguin-
ary encounters. We trust that modera-
ton and cool common sense will have
sway, and it is to the interest OF all per-
sons and the general welfare that they
should.