Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-09-13
THE LIBEL CASE.

WauSau 1Orch.-Ihe3 readers of the
Torch are, no doubt, wondering what
has become of the Rose Zoldoske matter
and the trial of the editor of the Torch
for libel. We will make the matter as
plain as we can.
The application for pardon of poor
Rose is still pending. Why the pardon
has hot been granted we do not know.
1t was our opinion that the application,
signed as it was by nearly ten thousand
names, would receive sanction at the
hands of the executive. The fact that
there was always doubt as to the guilt
of Rose, and the fact that there was and
Is up to this date nothing to remove
that doubt; that she and her people
had always borne an unimpeachable
character; and then the force that so
many applicants in her favor must have,
made us reasonably sure that the
pardon would be granted.
The case is still held under advise
ment, the pardon is not granted nor is
1t refused. Gov. Peck has his own
reason no doubt and it is just as sure
that those reasons are good ones. Peck
is not hard hearted. We firmly believe
that his sympath1es are with the
prisoner, but he will not do SO important
an act as the pardoning of prisoner
convicted of murder without a clear
conviction of her innocence. There
are always two sides to cases like this,
and while the friends of Rose are
anxious for her pardon and fully believe
in her innocence, her enemies, those
who prosecuted her, are fully as bitter
against her as ever and what influence
they have with the governor we do not
know. 1t may be too that the governor
has decided to await the result of the
libel case against the editor of the
Torch
That case is set for the Richland
county circuit court, which opened on
the eleventh of this month. Of course
there will be no trial at that time, as it
would be very fool hardy in us to
attempt to secure a fair trial at that
court or before that Judge. The Judge
is the same who tried Rose Zoldoske,
and it would not be fair for him to try
us when of necessity there will be
points and circumstances upon which to
pass, that have already been decided by
him. In a city and county where the
general public have, in mass meeting,
most strongly denounced us and have
put up 81, 900 with a promise as claimed
of another ST 900 to secure our convic-
ton, we could not expect nor could we
get fair trial, hence the case must, in
justice, 60 to some other circuit This
will delay the trial, but that contingency
is unavoidable.
The case against us is brought by one
Mrs. Maley, and the charge is SANDER
of her daughter, whom it is alleged was
murdered by poison. 1t seems very
strange to us that DR.. Mitchell did not
step into this breach and commence
the suit instead of leaving it to this old
lady whose daughter was only incident
ally mentioned in the Minnie Braddock
letter. 1t is a weak case that has been
commenced and we have no fear of the
result, but should it be disposed of
upon technicality or should the
prosecution abandon the case, we
would still be just as far from solution
of the murder mystery as ever.
md truly we are more interested and
more anxious about the fate of Rose
Zoldoske than we are about anything
that can happen to us. Indeed if we
deserve Imprisonment or fine for an
honest effort to help that poor girl, then
let the punishment come, we will take
our medicine like little man and will
trust to the honor and the justice
inherent in man to do us justice.