The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-01-09

VIII dCCuSc UlIl u lllt lSstob SNiuDtbn1
with crime, or the least desire that just
| sentence should not be carried out bul 1t
| does seem TO me that there are some points
| to be considered in the present ease by the
| general public which the eloquence and
| sophistry of the prosecution has too well
| hidden.
wish, however, most clearly and dis
| tinctly TO state that do not intend by
| one word that follows 10 even most re-
motely hint that any other person con-
nected with the recent trial is guilty;
who the guilty one is, that person and
God alone know. 1t Is possible DR.. Graves
is the guilty one, but In common with
thousands of others (and the number
hourly increases) fail TO see how, from
the evidence, any intelligent, unpreju-
diced, conscientious jury OF twelve men
could give a verdict OF murder In the
| first degree" on such purely circumstan-
tial evidence. Were no other influence at
work, IL is possible that the attempt Ia
fasten the crime (by It's committal there
on the State Of Colorado may have un-
consciously biased the verdict.
Please allow me, through your columns,
to offer some reasons why ] dare to record
my convictions why Dr. Graves unjustiy
condemned and perhaps innocent; my
views may make me unpopular. but no
| one can oblec 10 one speaking in defence
the accused. and as TO the possible un-
popularity, that is the most insignificant
element when truth Is III the balance
| againft II.
l. Much has been said, more printed
with regard to the previous character Of
the accused; this, true or false, Is matched
by the character Of the prosecution-con-
| temptible, cowardly and unprlncipled
methods of obtaining evidence before and
during the trial, which has no bearing on
the case.
.. IL seems somewhat unreasonable TO
| suppose man bent on murder should Sc
| lect State having the death penalty
where In his own State there is no such
| penalty.
3. 1t does not seem reasonable that DR..
Graves (or any other poor mani would ar
range To have the deed done in Denver
when IL would be utterly impossible for
him TO bring ahis witnesses, etc, on &C
| count OF expense.
| 4. 1t was utterly impossible for Or.
| Graves to make arrangements for or cal
| culate upon the strange delays and deten-
| tions which took place at Denver in the
bottles" history and no less so to ar
| range for the mode in which 10 is claimed
the contents Of the bottle were used
| 5. The bottle sent as IL was could not
have been manipulated by friends of Dr.
| Graves.
q. The fact that several arsenical poi
sonings have recently taken place West
would suggest Western rather than East
ern hands.
! z. A physician knows of many poisons
! far less easy to detect (some almost inn
most impossible TO detect after delay and
far less likely TO suggest poison than
| arsenic or any OF its compounds.
!. All persons familiar with the vast
methods and deeds OF the lawless corps
known as "Plnkerton's Force" know
| them to be in fact and of necessity at the
service of any and all who will pay them
To attempt what their employer asks, re-
| gardless rs TO the truth or falsehood of his
demand. Trained TO deceit and lies their
self-possession in the witness box is part
OF their profession, and their evidence be-
low par.
DIR. Graves should be (even though wholly
innocent) snspicioued and even more why
he should be put out OF the way: the evil
dence Of plotting" against his life can
not be denied, and those who see it can
easily find motive.
10. No marked antagonism was proved
TO have existed between DIR. Graves and
Mrs. Barnaby tltOnc of which he was
shown to have been conscious). Mrs. Bar
naby (granting the evidence binted at
true) was OF far more va!uc living than
dead.
IL. The, il untrue as To fact, Infamous
attempt 20 herald confession " and inn
plicate Col Ballou, as also the fell objects
OF the same, at once suggests the ques-
tions; Who suggested it Why was it
which TO open the lock.
Il. The too evident inhumanity Of the
prosecution; their hatred and desire for
vengeance rather than Justice suggest mo-
tives which too often carry US, in the right,
too far. Dogged abstinence and bulldog
determination, even IN the right, may oc-
casionally blind the eye TO truth and
harden the heart against mercy. If the
Globe reports are true the inhumanity Is
demonlike. If we do fight one we con.
sclentiously believe n murderer (as the
all IL
1t should be done in human way, else
the desire to win" seems greater than
"love of Justice"
Is. IL should be remembered that several
Of the leading spirits in the prosecution
mot for "a moment doubling their honesty
of purpose) had objects at stake little less
than life TO some persons the one, legal
pre-eminence; the > other, State honors,
either of which would lead most men To do
what they would not otherwise do. The
energy, carnestness, conscientlousnessa and
faith in their cause of such men could not
but impress the jury, even though towards
error.
L. Everything unlimited detective
skill, money, forensic eloquence, etc, etc.
was in the hands of the prosecution,
! These things would win most juries, and
especially so if the previous character OF
the accused appeared unsteady.
IL. That the officer who had charge Of
| the jury did not faithfully cut out all ref
erences to the trial from the papers is ev
! ident Gf the newspaper reports are true).
| II also seems that the jury gave a mean
! ing to the March - letter which most
surely was not sustained by particle OF
evidence, except their own notions Qf
/ the papers report truly.
10. The presence of writing characters
| tics on the covering Of the bottle Is Of little
value in the case. At best. all expert tes-
| timony Is simply opinion, into the con
| illusions OF which dozen fatal fallacies
may enter; added TO which, upon the sup
/ position the real murderer Is not DIR.
| Graves, but some one seeking Co fastcn
the crime on him, two things are certain.
| CD The writing would not De anything
/ like perfect imitation, (2) yet it would
/ contain few resemblances
IL. The Sprague murder case. so fami-
/ liar 10 Rhode Islanders Of fifty or more
/ years OF age, is n warning against circum-
] stantlal evidence OF even the strongest
! kind. Tf it be true. doctors mistakes
| are buried it Is no less true than many
/ jurics' mistakes are uniustly hung
In conclusion, ! never saw Dr. Graves,
| 90 not know him or any of the parties Ia