Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-11-26
GOT OFF LIGHT.
ONE Year I'm Sasr Quentin forWayne
o. wheeling.

lope valley, on the I'd day of last July.
The trial consumed over two weeks
during the early part of this month, and
created no little interest. Tweedy was
born at Ell Monte, in this county, nearly
forty years ago. He has lived here al
most continually all his life, and was
known in all parts of the country. He
wac well-liked man and bore gener-
ally good reputation. There were one
hundred calls to the witness stand during
the trial, and all the settlers in the Ante
lope valley were present. To the many
who heard more or less of the
testimony it seemed as if Tweedy's
life had been taken without
the least necessitv of committing such q
terrible crime. To many of those who
heard the most material portions of the
testimony it seemed to be deliberate
and very cold murder. The jury, how
ever, took different view of the matter,
and returned verdict OF manslaughter,
with recommendation to the mercy of
the Court. Since then there has been a
good deal of speculation as to what PEN
atty the Court would ipfict. The coun-
sci for the defense at first thought of
asking for q new trial, but later on
seemed to be satisfied to trust to the
mercy of the Judge. The guesses made
AZ to what punishment would bo in
hicted ran at four to six years. One or
two persons, perhaps few more, who
talked to the writer, were inclined to
put it at three years. When the case
came on Yesterday, Mr.. Shinn, of Shinn,
Ling & Co., read the following appeal to
the Court:
JUDGE sHINN's ADDRESS.
By the permission and indulgence OF this
honorable Court. in behalf of my learned, elo-
quent and loyal associate counsel, and for
Wayne o. Wheeling, the most unfortunate
young man for whom it ever became my duty
TO speak, we are here called back upon the
stage after we had hoped and believed the cur
taiu had fallen for the last time upon a tragedy
as pathetic, sad and dark as can be blended by
misfortune and fate to wreck the hopes. the
honor and the joys OF human life.
Wayne o. Wheeling in the most imperative
self-defense, shot and killed William Tweedy,
of the Antelope valley: The deceased was a
influential. respectable and rich families of Los
Angeles county. He was also recognized as the
master spirit and leader of all the csttle men OF
the Antelope valley and surrounding mountain
country.
Wayne O. wheeling. at the time of the kill.
ing. was strange boy in strange land, living
on government claim in the mountains. near
the deceased. He was comparatively unknown,
poor. without influence, with few acquaint-
ances, quiet, sober. industrious and peaeeable
one who never in his whole life had diff
Guilty or quarrel with any man, woman or child.
He had worked for his living from his earliest
recollection, aud had been brought up in the
railroad business, and was wholly unused to
the habits and customs of the cattle men and
cowboys with whom he came In contact.
An obscure iy,, newspapef at Lancaster near
cowboy and saloon element denounced the
killing as most defenseless, diabelical and
eold-blocded murder, and held the defendant u D
to the execration and hatred of all mankind
The enterprising, impartial and honorable
daily press of this city, judging the. deceased
family CONNECTIONS, and giving credit to the he
false statements of this Lancaster paper, threw
the weight of their influence against our young
client, and built around him wall of adverse
public opinion, such as 1t was impossible for
him or his counsel to surmount SO firmly was
the belief implanted in the public mind that
was days after the press had discovered the
fact. and after the trial had closed, before the
public realized that the killing was an act Of
selt-preservation.
At his trial. by the testimony of nearly two
score of witnesses from among the best citiz ems
of Los Angeles county and of the State of Iowa,
from his natal hour unIil the dreadful moment
of that fatal day, and laid 1t an open book before
your honor aud a jury of his peers, and we leave
all men may know that within the volume OF
his life there can be found no blot; that it is
free from blemish and without stain. And for
this poor, unfortunate young man, let it be said
that the character he has builded, extending
from the lowly plain Of his infancy to the sun
kissed clouds Of his manhood. arises to his
everlasting honor and stands crowned with
acts aud deeds as pure as the ice, and chaste as
the snow upon Mount Shasta's loltiest peak.
We, his counsel, had no knowledge Of Wayne
o. Wheeling, except as man charged with the
highest crime known to the law Our acquaint-
ance and friendship (for he is our friend) began
in the prison where he is confined, and ripened
n n mi n, md dll rin oh IN
days of that memorable trial, where the
prosecution armed with wealth, influence,
sought to blot from the horizon of his existence
before the sun Of hls life had reached its noon
to hurl it backward into an eternity of dis
this crucial test, we found him as trne as steel,
reliable, conscientious honest, and absolutely
uttered in his own behalf. was unqualihedly
true and we believe and feel we know that
with every feeling OF reverence for God, and
love for man, by every thought that flashes
through his brain, with every nerve and fiber
that thrills and animates his frame, with every
throb of his warm and generous heart all join
this crushing misfortune of William Tweedy's
death, yet Wayne 0. Wheeling standing at the
bar OF his own conscience hears ever
esis0 w1rd ssG saess snd .coaeS rsfa@S
and from the altar OF his soul continually
arises to heaven the incense of his innocence,
oaN Lhot az tuc tiiilc Lie Ihtal sQOLS were nreQ,
ana during every moment since, every inspira-
tfon of his brain, every dictate of his CON
science every prompting of his heart has re-
PEELED the very thought of crime. The trial of
Wayne o. Wheeling was in many respects a re-
markable case in the annals of jurisprudence,
bat most of all in the verdict found by the jury.
The defendant req uested his counsel to say for
him in his closing speech, and 1t was said. that
he preferred they should take away his life OF
turn him free.
We believe under the evidence the killing
was murder or justifi able homicide. This yer.
dict denies the one and contradicts the other
and we believe 1t IL q compromise to avoid a
disagreement but 1t carries to Wayne o. Wheel
ingdisgrace, ignominy, shame and dishonor, and
is to him worse than an honorable death. The
fastening by judicial verdict and sentence
lawful shedding of human blood is the greatest
calamity that could in any event overtake an
unfortunate man. This verdict burns into his
face the name of felon: 1t writes across his
nsme the word 'outcast;' 1t consigns him to
the companionship of criminals, deprives him
of his liberty, shuts the door to ambition and
hope, banishes the stars from his night Of sor
dicat.on, and to him now and to all near and
dear who have preceded, or will follow him
will attach the indefaceabe stigma of shame
dishonor and disgrace, which neither the
recommendation of mercy, the lightest posi-
ole sentence that the Court can impose or
life OF sorrow, repentance, and good deeds can
Grace But all we can now ask or expect, is
mendation OF mercy. and consider wei
his former good character. and the desperate
environments that surrounded him at the time
and for many months preceding the killing
Hna give to ttis poor, unfortunate, ill-fated