The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-06-25

that Thomas Henderson Bovd killed bis
victim With maiics . pvePenae; or that il was
. csss Of mansiaughter or ssli-deiense.
CnsSes these circumstances OF what ju-
diciay or legal consequence would have
been proof that the victim Of Thomas
HenSerson Boyd vas al utterly absn-
donesi woman: worthless person. whose
deass. was . loss to nobody. possibly . re-
lief 30 many. The PosT-IxrulsoExcEa
sirnr;y pointed out that the sole question
10 ts determined vas whether Thomas
Hen serson Boyd was murdered; whether
il wax case Of mansiaughter. or . case Of
self<sefense: and furthermore. whether
the Slayer OF Boyd was medically and
legally sane. and therefore responsible.
In its news columns the Posr-IxIELLisEs-
Ger ia 5iisaed the fact that among Boyd's
papess vas letter FROM his "wife" de-
anting that he marry he., with threat
OF death il he did not comply before
Chris&mas.
Thy is all that the Posr-IsrElIseEycER
said se.ore trial in order to clear the mind
Of It's readers Of any suspicion that it
symEathized with its correspondents who
believe in ser in crime. When At the ap-
pointed day Of trial the prosecution falls
dowrs" without an important witness sub
pnns:ed. in face OF the fact that the evil
dencss At the coroner's inquest was worth
less q, trial and the prisoner was released
on lsaii, the Pcsr.IsTxLLIcEscER COM
men,;d on the gross apathy and negli-
gence: Of the prosecution. II this Is trial
by newspaper" then there ought to be
deal ssiore Of IL.
The prosecuting officer 10 an elective
Office; the Judge is an elective officer;
their fidelity to their trust is just object
the fss:ss to say that the prosecuting attor.
ney, =, put it mildly, discharged his duty
in . rsr.1nctory manner and without any
apparent interest in maintaining the
rights Of the government. The defense
seem..i to halt between the pleas Of self
defenge os insanity. and argued" from
both snds of the horn. Everything was
admired in evidence that tended
to lacken the character of the
dead and TO giorify his murderer.
After all has been said. one thing is GER
tain: 1.-THE accused was acquitted on the
ground Of insanity, then every excited
womsyn IL insane; If she was acquitted on
the ground Of self-defense, then We are
asked.to believe that q mar at the end of q
violeist struggls is found dead with his
coat ,nhntfauod his hst ~, HE hn.J arN
his c.gar between his teeth. Mrs. Ken
nedy testified that the answer to the
words, I'm see you in hell first" was the
pissoiS shot that ended Boyd's life. The
newspapers have not tried this case: they
have aeen only anxious to have it honestly
tried.
Doss the thoughtful, intelligent public
believe that Thomas Henderson Boyd was
killed BY his wife" because she was ''in-
sane. = or because she acted in seli-dcfense?
We DE- not believe it. Boyd was worth
less RAN; she was worthless woman;
they sformed a conspiracy of guilt; he
PROMISED to marry her; he did not
keep This promise and she killed HIM,
a. she threatened to. She deserved
some punishment: she gets sentimental
acqui:tal that cannot fail to weaken in the
mind- Of thoughtful people the respect
that saould b entertained for tho admin
istratson Of justice BY courts Of Law. The
fact tSat Boyd Vas worthless wretch who
was uafitt TO live does not make the woman
who Vas his partner in crime and who
killed him any the less a murderess.