The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1888-05-05
THE GREAT TRIAL ENDED.

in a verdict of "not guilty." This
did not greatly disappoint us and
does not at all cast us down. Not
for one moment have we put our
happiness in the punishment ofthe
man who SO brutall( assassinated
the first born of the house. There
are wounds too deep for any earth
ly balm, and the ssverest human
woe tends to soften the heart.
From the first we felt that some
thing could be done through the
law toward the punishment Of the
great criminal. Much has been
done, far more than the majorltylof
the good people believed. Eleven
months in jail under the judgment
of incorruptible courts is some
thing. The making manifest Of
his guilt to the intelligent puplic
is much more.
And something has been done
for reform. Tho truth of the
charges made by the slain young
man have been fully demonstrated
and brought to the attention of
the people. The inhumane treat
ment of helpless convicts against
which Roderick Gambrell uttered
his vehement protests, has shocked
all people, and compelled mercifdl
changes. The lawless city gov
eminent of jackson, upheld by
Hamilton and his friends has been
exposed and overthrown. The
$4,000 defalcation has been
proved by the supreme court.
Hamilton did slip through the
loop hole IN his bond. He has
shown himself the leader of the
worst element OF society-lefault-
ers, gamblers, saloonists, drunk
ards, etc.
The men, also, who helped him
in his schemes have become per-
manently associated in the public
mind with him, 50 that not only
his, but their infuense for bad is
greatly and permanently lessenej.
Although they have saved his neck
from the halter, they have not
saved him nor his schemes, nor
themselves from the verdict Of
thevittuous masses as beng guilty
of those things that disparage
humanity. The result will be a
dissolution of the coalition at the
State Capital by which the people
were robbed and public morals
debauched. This is much for one
young man to do, and, as his
father, we would rather stand, as
we did a few days ago, with his
stricken mother, over his grave
than to have him again at home,
a truant from the path OF high
public duty.
The trial was IN many respects
the most notable one in all oul
history. The counsel on either
side was very able Every inch
of ground was contested witt
dogged determination. The pro-
secution felt often that the ruling.
ofJudge Mayors were very damag
ing to the States cause. This i,
said with due caution and proper
respect for the ermiue, but it l,
the truth, and it was a eonstan
source of Encouragement through
out the long trial.
We deem it proper and due thr
public who intrusted us with mon
ey to prosecute the man wh,
struck down a tribune of the peo
pie under cover of darkness to la,
bare the facts connect d witt
Hamilton's acquittal. In doinl
so caution will be exercised.
From the first the prosecution
encountered the officialism at JacI
son, both the city governmen
and not a few of the State off
cials. The police not only di,
not help to find the guilty, bu
they did all possible TO obstruc
the cause of justice. The mayor
Office was the headquarters TO
Hamilton's forces. The conduc
of the sworn officers of the lay
was such as to justify the word
Of Judge Whorton: "This cit,
government IS a refuge of crimi
nails" Not only, the radical Q
moagrel city government support
ed Hamilton, bat the State ad
fmlnistration as a Whole leant tina
way, Gov. Lowry was reporte
to have visited Hamilton at Bran
don Very early IN Tho morning i
Hamilton 8 room. We would no
reflect undnly upon his Excel
iency, but we are ready to civ
Ioas authority If demanded, an
Will make correction If wrong.
caanot be doubted that the prose
cution had Hamilton's politica
assoelates, radical and democrau