Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1889-11-29
To Grand JurieS.

\ tragedy was enacted within the
limits Of our city on Saturday even
ing that has shocked the inhabitants
into spcechless horror. The par
ticulars will be found elsewhere in
this issue Of the Sentinel. II is
scarcely two months ago since Par
ley McFarlane was sent home by
the grand jury of Provo, who chose
to ignore n well substantiated charge
Of assault with intent 10 kill.
Whether it was produced be-
fore the grand jury or not, evil
dence was not lacking to prove
that he had contemplated the killing
OF our quiet and unassuming, yet
brave and efficient, County Sheriff,
Jens i. Larsen, prior to the eve
ming on which lie did shoot him,
while the officer was trying to arrest
him for breaking n city ordnance.
That McFarlane did not kill Larsen
was simply good luck. The hall
entered the left shoulder at point
whereby a slight variation ia one
direction would have missed Mr..
Larsen altogether, and as little diff
ference ON the other side would
have caused instant death. After
the guilty man had time to soberup,
he said himself that he thought n
few years behind the prison bars
would perhaps do him good, and
had certainly made up his mind to
pay the penalty of his criminal at
tempt, and he seemed to be as much
surprised as anybody when he was
set at liberty. There was a strong
feeling Of indignation among the
citizens Of MaEti, and the opinion
was openly expressed that private
influence and money had been used
I'm his behalf, but il was never made
quite clear as TO whom the money
was given, or whose influence was
responsible for returning the reck-
less shooter to Manti. II that man
lives who used his influence to such
an end-if there is any one who took
money or prostituted his official trust
to private favor-walll up, gentle
men, TO the City Hall and look upon
your handiwork. There lying stiff
and stark are the bodies of the vic
Tins of rs cOwardly and brutal a
murder rs ever disgraced an infidel
mining camp. Rest assured that be
We one or twelve, you will not stand
guiltless before the judgment bar Of
God. Because OF the strong public
condemnation Of the mans act. and
the course the grand jury has taken
in the matter, the Sentinel was silent,
not desiring to fan into n flame
the smOuldering feelings of aggres-
sive bravado ON the one side, and in
Jury and injustice on the other.
deeming it best in this case to sub
nit to the decree in silence, though
bitterly unjust.
The man, McFarlane, is not ut
terly devoid of good, and We hoped,
with his friends, that the lesson
would be sufficiently vivid to pre-
vent such outbreaks in future: but
hoped, as the sequel proved, in vain.
The shooting Of "Mormon" officer
was not much Of a sin in the eyes Of
those ''twelve good men and true"
but since his second escapade has
been the shooting Of two employees
Of n powerful corporation, We feel
assured that he will suffer the full
penalty Of the law. Better would
ii have been for his worse than wild
owed wife, his worse than orphaned
children, his gray-haired, honorable
father. for the criminal himself, il
the law had dealt justly by the poo
pie, and punished Farley McFarlane
for the July attempt.-Ndnti SEMI
net.