The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-08

was made for a new trial and this was de-
MED by Recorder Smyth. Then Gov.
Flower vas asked to interfere He could not
commute the sentence, for Harris either
did or did not poison his wife: If Gov.
Flower believed he was innocent he could
pardon him, but if he believed him guilty
of course there was no ground for COM
mutation. Gov. Flower appointed COM
missioner to hear the so-called additional
evidence" which proved to be of most
fimsy character, and on the report of the
commissioner he refused to interfere.
OF the guilt of Harris there is no doubt
After his first conviction he took his case
before the highest tribunal in the state,
whose sworn duty it il to grant the de-
PENDANT new trial. not only if they find
that any legal error has been committed
upon the trial already had but fthey think
the verdict Of the jury was wrong upon
the facts, or that for any reason justice re-.
quires that the verdict should not stand
and the prisoner should be led again.
The New York court of appeals patiently
heard the appeal of Harris and then unan-
imously declared that q careful reading Of
the evidence in the Harris case and con-
scientious consid Grafton of the facts which
it discloses must inevitably lead to the
formation of an opinion that the yer.
dict Of the jury was not only justi-
fed, but that no Other conclusion could
hdSs been reached by the fdircst mind"
Then Harris made an appeal for new
trial to Recorder Smyth. the judge before
whom he was tried and convicted. and his
petition was patiently heard: he was al.
lowed TO testify and argue in his own de-
Tense. but new trial was refusal. Then
began the usual effort to awaken sym.
pathy" for the condemned. 30 that Gov.
Flower might interfere. So strongly con-
WINGED were the trial Judge and the prose-
cutting officers of Harris guilt that they
officially wrote Gov. Flower that there
was not the faintest doubt Of the guilt of
Harris.
1t 10 . singular fact that Harris should
have been able to enlist the sympathies of
. great many women in his behalf, despite
the proof on trial that he had ell his days
been rake" whose ruling ambition was
the seduction Of young girls. He was 80
destitute of feeling that he made his con-
quests Of this sort boast, and there was
ample evidence on trial that he became q
murderer because his wife, of whom he
had become weary, was an encumbrance
to . man whose business was that of Q
heartless libertine. Harris has had every
advantage on his side in his fight with the
law for his life: he has had money, able
counsel; he has been . cool, self-possessed,
educated, intellectual villain from first to
last. and it is matter for public congratu-
lation that Gov. Flower has not been weak
enough to interfere with legal justice.
It 10 difficult to understand Why there
should be 20 much sympathy with . muir.
derer and SO little with the murderer's VIC
tim. A murdeYsr, - distinguished from
one who commits granddaughter in the
heat of quarrel. 10 . human tiger and
ought to be destroyed a. soon a. the law
settles the question of guilt and mental
responsibility for crime. Nevertheless, it
is exceedingly difficult to convict q muir
derer, and almost impossible west of the
would not be difficult to secure q verdict
of death for professional horse thief. but
it is very hard to get jury to send man
to the scaifold for murder.
Human life is very cheap in this coun-
try. OF the 4,29O known murderers of
1890. 102 were executed by law and 127
were lynched by mobs. In 1891, 12S of the
599S murderers were executed by law and
1913 were lynched. OF the 6. 79l murderers
OF 1892, LOT were executed by law. while
236 were lynched by mobs, 8 of them being
women. In other words. though l7,O79
known murders were committed in these
three years, only 337 persons were executed
by law. while 53s, or about 60 per cent.
more, were lynched by mobs.