The Progress., 1893-05-20

and Barnett to put into practice their
unlawful and awful design to commit
murder.
Their case. however, has been des-
perate one from the commission OF
their crime, because realizing the gray
| ity of the situation, the newspapers OF
our city began to call on the citizens to
demand a halt. They pointed out the
destination of the course our town was
pursuing and asked in the name of JUS
tice that stop should be put to such
proceedings as had been carried on in
our midst. This was something the con-
spirators had not counted on. They
were not prepared for this public aris-
ing and they, too, began to realize the
seriousness of their predicament At!irst
they cOntented themselves with the
employment of one attorney, Mr.. NJ. {.
! Elstner, a man of long standing at the
bar and of wide family connections. This
they thought would insure public elem
ency. But a. time passed they grew
apprehensive. played mastery stroke
and took in Mr.. Arthur Lee Kahn. a
rising young attorney. very popular
with the Israelites of Shreveport who
are also very influential here, hoping
thereby TO gain the good will OF this
race. But they reckoned without their
host. The Jews Of Shreveport. what
ever they may be elsewhere, are hon
orable. upright and laW-abidiug people
and have no part nor parcel with law
lessness. However trusting to these
influences, Nash and Barnett went TO
trial and were convicted. Then indeed
did their case become desperate and
they reached out still further and on a
slender thread Of hope for a new trial,
secured the assistance of Judge y.
w. O. Hicks. beyond doubt, one of the
ablest criminal lawyers in the State.
This astute lawyer knew that he had a
desperate case to handle. for in his ar
gument for new trial he took desper-
ate chances and severely arraigned the
papers of Shreveport for the action
they took in the case, declared that a
fair trial could not be secured in Cad
do. because the papers had so pTejudi-
ced the minds-of the people that their
Judgment was not to be trusted. All,
sly old fox, he was even then preparing
grounds for change of venue in case 4
new trial was secured. He was bidding
for an onslaught of the press upon both
himself and the accused that he might
base an application for change OF ven
ue on their utterances. Utterly fear
less in his defense of client, nothing
honorable deters him and he here mace
one of the plays of his life, one oil his
master strokes. He knew that public
opinion, public sympathy was sovereign
and if he could provoke vigorous al
tack from the press he might arouse .
feeling OF sympathy which the Amerl-
can people, and especially those OF the
South are so quick to render when any
semblance of persecution is presented
We admit he attacked The PROGRESS
in a vulurable point and he knew 1t also;
but our better judgment recalled 10
mind his shrewdness in defense OF
clients, the play he was making for
heavy onslaught on Nash and Barnett
from rs. and we will simply fool him.
The Judge said to u
privately that no one out
coward will use his paper to attack mel
in prison without the means OF resist
inc il. but when questioned about TN
bravery of a lawyers attack on anothe
in the course of a speech before acour'
he desires to change the subject.
lust this in conclusion, we would ca
the public's attention to the fact tha
Judge Hicks was making his spees
for Nash and Barnett because he wa
maid to do so, while The PRoGREs
wrote in defense of the public wltho'
reward. Judge Hicks is a lawyer, Ii
PROGRESS a public journal and the'
explain all there is to explain on eith'
or both sides.