The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-24

Thomas Henderson Boyd was shot 70
death last December by Ursula J. Unfug
There In no dispute that this woman is the
slayer Of Boyd. and yet she is at liberty
today under 81. 600 bonds. She has never
pretended that she slew Boyd in self
defense; she Is either murderess. sane
and responsible, or she is insane and ire
sponsibie: or she is guilty of mans!aughter
Among the papers OF Boyd. examined
after his death. vas found letter from
this woman threatening 10 kill Boyd u ne
foiIed TO marry her before certain date
The prosecuting attorney knew OF the ex-
issenoe Of this letter. and he knew that in
Justice to this community il was his duty
to see that this woman was promptly tried
and the question Of her guilt determined
The trial OF this woman has been post
poned from time 10 time until Monday
last, aud then il is discovered that The
three most important witnesses have de-
parted from tho state. the prosecution
having neglected to subpoena them. No
seaious. energetic prosecuting officer would
ever have suffered these witnesses TO dis
appear one after the other, and thus find
himself on the day of trial without
single one Of these important witnesses
present. Why these important witnesses
could not long ago have been forced to give
security for their appearance We do not
know. Why the woman should have been
released on bail without the question OF
her guilt having been traversed we do not
know.
In our judgment great wrong has been
wrought this community. Whether the
prosecuting attorney is incompetent or in
d fferent We do not know. but we do know
that the slayer of Thomas Henderson
Boyd /. 2. liberty under 5000 bail with
out any legal determination Of the ques-
ton whether she is q murderess, sane and
responsible, or murderess insane and ir-
responsible. or whether she is guilty
merely Of manslaughtcr.
II is q gross outrage on public justice
that this woman should be today practi-
caily free woman, without any serious ef-
fort 10 determine the degree Of her guilt.
Ii she is murdercss she ought not to be at
liberty; If she il insane she ought not to
be at liberty. and IL she is guilty OF man
slaughter she ought not to be at liberty.
1t is a disgrace to the administration Of
public justice that this woman should be
at liberty without any serious attempt to
solve the question OF her guilt or inno-
cenoe There is no pretense that she did
no, kill Boyd. If the legal evidence that
she killed him has been allowed to depart
from the jurisdiction of this state by the
negligence or indifference of the prosecu-
ton, the release of this woman under bail
in advance OF trial ought not to have been
made until the state has had time to pro-
duee these witnesses.
Altogether this affair has very black
look Somebody has frightfuliy blum
dered and the distance between some
blunders aud some crimes is a line of dis
tucuon withont difference. The situa-
ton i n shameful one. aud for il some
body IL responsible. Under any careful.
prudent. energetic administration of the
Law, this oman would not be NJ large to-
day under bail: she would be III Jail until
her responsibility or responsibility, had
tcen LEGALITY trasersed and determined
great wrong 20 the public has been
wrought hy whom this wrong has been
either permitted or procured. We leave the
common sense OF the public 60 determine