The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-06-08


mistake. Look well to it that you do
not by such mistake acquit the MUIR
derer OF your fellow townsman. If |
the murderer goes free, it may
mean other victims, other widows
and bereaved fireSideS. A reasonable |
doubt does not mean little, frivolous
doubts. Do what the voice of your
conscience tells you, for has not that
consciousness been acquired by the
force of the evidence. One of the
obstacles that a jury has to overcome
in such a case as this is to overcome
the weakness of humanity, which
tends to help tlfe weak. Sympathy
often has strong and subtle infiu-
ence in determining such case.
would not have it otherwise, but /
would caution you to lay aside tears
and sympathy. The case is an impor-
tant one. The prosecution gives the
case to you and repose in your judg-
ment. Whatever you shall do, repre-
senting the best there is in the COM
munity, as you do, we shall be salts
fed.
Lorin Cray opened his argument for
the defendant at 300 p. M, in a man
ner highly commendable. He said
that great and awful responsibility
rests upon the, jury, who could not
follow a carefully mapped out theory.
He asked the jury to eliminate every
thing from the case, not supported by
the evidence.
So far as the movements of John e.
Layne are concerned they are only
important in this case insofar as they
are connected with the movements of
VIM. Conway. While Conway has
been imprisoned, the whole power of
the state has been used to summon
evidence against him for eight months.
He is stranger in a strange land. A
public sentiment has been aroused to
point It's finger at him, for, purpose,
as we blieve. There is a leading mer-
chant in this county today who came
within an ace of beings'mobbed as a
houSethief, on charges made because
he was stranger. He was given time
to prove his innocence and he did. [
feel that Conway is in the same posi-
tion as that merchant. !
!. Whoever took the life of Harry Wal
raven had a great and overpOwering
motive, which overcame the usual
tendency of his mind. We can scarce
conceive Of an act without motive.
There could have been but two in this
case, robbery or revenge. The place
chosen for the deed was dark and as
well selected a one as could be found
between Walraven's saloon and his
home. We find him shot, his cloth
ing not disarranged, and nothing
taken from his pockets or the jewelry
from his clothes. The footsteps heard
were two and half blocks away, and
were not: hurrying nearer. This is
the reason assigned by the state for
| the failure of the assassin to commit
| robbery. The assassin was bold
enough to commit murder, and was
then scared away by such a trifie.
Conway was paying his bills and not
idling away his time. Crimes of this
kind are committed by loafers and
those who will not work and rebound
to have Omoney in ksome other way
than by honest toll. Conway is hunt
ing for all kinds of work, and all he
can get to do he does. The only voice
that can tell the real state of affairs is
the stilled voice of Harry Walraven.
His is the only voice that can tell
what has crossed his path during
the past seven years. All classes and
ages have during that time
marched to his bar and drank his
liquor until their brains were giddy
Then they walked up that stair
way to the rooms above, and
they have come down, nights,
week days and Sabbaths, robbed of
their hard earned wealth, and follow
ing fast after their footsteps has come
down Harry Walraven, going to his
home with his well filled purses and
diamonds. aThese people have gone
to their homes and in their closets
have sworn vengeance upon the man
at whose place they had lost their
earnings. Mrs. Walraven testified
! that her husband feared death from
other motives than robbery. Who can
say that son, brother or father of
some victim did not do this. 1t is not
positively established that Walraven
was assassinated. The first investi-
cations led to the arrest of man
named White, and thOuS-
ands of circumstances pointed
to him at the time as the guilty man.
Walraven was heard to say doctor. "
| Was it because someone whom he was
in the habit of calling that who stood
over him with loaded revolver?