Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-12-17
MR.. vARlAN'S CLOSING ADDRESS
II Was a Lengthy Argument. Full OF
Personalities aud Sarcastic
Reparisc.
COMMISSIONER PRATT EXPRESSES
HIS VIEWS ON THE CASE.



At5.l0 last evening the curtain fell
upon the last act In the Parsons drama,
which for eight whole days had had mn
almost uninterrupted run In Commits.
sioner Pratt's court. Commissioner,
counsel, witnesses In waiting, and all
others engaged 10 the affair had grown
weary OF listening, day after day, to
the nauseatlug details as they were
poured fourth from tho witncss-stand,
and II was welcome relief to all when
the end came. The verdict has gone
10 favor Of the defendant, and the com-
missioner (whoso remarks we give YER
batim In this issue) stated clearly and
concisely the reasons which led him
to arrive at that conclusion.
When the NEWS went 10 press
yesterday afternoon United States
District Attorney Varlan was proceed
ing with his closing address for the
prosecution, u portion Of W hich was re-
ported In our columns. Tho object OF
this investigation, said he, was 10
ascertain the truth and Ind II the
ollensc alleged had been committed,
aud II there was probable cause 10 be-
lleye the defendant committed II. All
made To drag into II that which did
not belong here, and TO drag into II
persons who were not parties to the ln-
vestlgstion. Much latitude had been
taken In this direction by counsel ON
the other side. Judge He nderson, for
instance, suggested that there was
some motive behind this prosecution
which would not bear Inspections; AMI
while Judge Henderson spoke OF the
charity that should be extended to"this
Official" lac forgot TO take other
important considerations into a.
count. He asked Inc CONTINUED
Mr.. Variant what would do
were | In this Defendants POSI-
tion. can say what would not DO n
such charges were brought against ME.
| would not endeavor 20 blackon the
waters Of investigation with the black
cloud Of the cutie fish In order that l
might escape In darkness. | would not
try screen myself behind the petit.
coats OF my wife or my relatives.
Furthermore, Il would put my own
word against the word Of my accu-ers.
would not seek to mould public opin.
ion or TO ascertain In advance before
what magistrate the ease would be
heard. Then, again, parallel has been
drawn between case In which | took
part some six years ng0 and this, NJ
had been ioreshhdowed by n subsldized
prtss. Now, the cases are not Mt al
similar. Ia the former great con.
fpirscy was entered Into here, In which
were engaged the mayor Of the city
and other officials. The plan was to
stock houses with imported harlots and
cntice Gentlles there In order h bring
about AN exposure. The plan was
Cnrrled out, and even the governor and
other high officials were sought as
prey TO he drawn Into this trap. At last
some two hundred complaints were
filed. Thee houses were closed anu
these consplrators were brought In 10
testify ~ to the very things Of which
they complained. Those complaints
were dismissed because all law, human
and divine, forbid that the law should
he prostituted. The women were
brought back aud we convicted
ut least one arch consplrat0r,
who served n term In the county Jail.
The prosecuting attorney here read
from his scrap book OF newspaper clip
pings ms TO what was said Ia court ON
the occasion referred TO, aud, cOntlnu.
lug, raid II was not for him To say what
the object OF the defense was In en-
deavofing to cover tho case with mat.
s.t 80. A
through this case the defense had
when they knew t. was useless. IL
would hot be professional then II the
prosecution repealed this lnsinuatlOn.
II would seem to him, according to
statement OF counsel, that no charge
made by any prisoner was worthy OF
credence. The statute under which
this proceeding was brought was dc.
signed for the protection Of the help.
less. The oppression OF citizens ut
large TO citizens ut large could he met
In another way, but the statute was de-
signed for those who suffered under
the crushing weight OF their mis-
fortunes-the poor creatures who
We're dependent upon their guards
for even their poor prlvl.
lege OF communicating with the
outside world. Would Mr.. Crltchlow
have him say when this story cams to
him that the woman was not TO be
believed? That when she entered the
doors OF the penitentlary the sacred
gRrb Of woman was stricken from her,
and she became only a convict TO be
kicked about? He did not know that
when this woman war put In the peni-
tantiary she was put into den OF har.
lots. The condition Of affairs there was
not revealed until afterwards. IL was
true that grand Jury Of the mnrshal's
own selection did not flnd an indict.
ment, but that was no reason why AN
investigation should not be had. IL
counsel were Of the opinion that there
was any conspiracy In the matter, that
the district attorney and governor were
concerned In foisling PICTURED evidence
on the court, why didn't they probe II
to the bottom? He Mr.. Variant had
held public office longer than Judge
henderson, aud never yet had such a
thing been intimated In regard TO him.
1.-THE insinuation were true, what bear.
ing could II have on the facts? Maggie
FOrkner was simply detained In the
penitentiary ns witness, and the
marshal has no more hight to throw
her into o cell than he has t0 throw
me there. And the associates OF
Amin prinlla xhila nj fh.. nanifan