The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-12-19
gPLEpF0R JUSTICE
The MurdererS of Catherine Cling
the Product of Our Social
Conditions.
SOCIETY SHOULD Be INDICTED As WELL
As THE MURDERERS.
Public Offices Sold in the Market
Place the Natural Parent
of Murder.
SOCIETY. BEHOLD YOUR CHILDREN

TO the Editor:
Pardon me for asking a brief space in
your columns Ito plead for sweet mercy's
sake We have all been horribly stirred
by the brutal killing of young and beauti-
full woman. Rarely have 1 witnessed the
people of Minneapolis so stirred to the very
soul. The cry for swift revenge is so easy
to find vent while the fever of passion burns
and scorches and shrivels up all the chan
nels of gentleness within us. Those who
glance only at the shocking circumstances
most nearly surrounding the murder of
Catherine Ging-who go no deeper than
the barren surface and see that a deliberate
assassination perpetrated. prompted
by the mean and vile appetite of avarce-
are bowling themselves hoarse for the in
Simultaneous murder of the murderers.
If the Anglo-Saxon system of criminal
Jurisprudence which America has inherited
does nothing else, it commands that time
be given for the passions of men to cool
before proceeding to punishment. By in
heritance, tradition, experience, we are
bade to wait. Let the quick feverish pulse
urging onward to revenge have time to cool.
Let court and jury have time to grow calm
and deliberate before proceeding to the final
painful duty of examination, adjudica ton
and Gf righteous punishment. In the mer-
cful language of the sweet Scottish singer:
whats done we partly may compute
But know not what's resisted
That the murderers of Catherine Cling are
great criminals no sane man will dispute.
But they are also the victims of universal
social crime. The constituencies pursuit of
gain is fashionable Wealth once gained
is a mantle of the cloth of gold which
shuts out the rude, gross and filthy, and
enwraps the possessor in the perfumes and
cleanliness of perfect peace. Such at least,
is the popular belief With the vast mass
of the half trained people of America the
owner of wealth, stolen from toll, in this
present generation-before the thief has had
time to take a bath to cleanse himself from
the stains of his burglary-the possessor,
! say, is worshped little less than a
dem-god This social demorali liza ton you
and l have-side by side-watched the
growth of in the commonwealth we both
love.
This state is still state though men have
changed,
Those who erstwhle knew nought of right
or law.
And clad in goatskin lived outside the
gates,
These are now known as mobiles; and the
Who once We're noble, as towards
live
Men honor wealth, and wealth corrupts
the blood
Bad marrying good, and good with villains
we'd
The murderers of this woman have
learned only half the lessons taught by our
modern society," and that half was the
crude, VILE unfinished side-the side of self
ishneSs, of greed, of the power of lawless
gold They would have money hence they
have torn down the sacred portals that de-
fend the altar of life. and planned to take
upon their own existence the brand of Cain.
They are sinners, criminals. murderers-but
they have also been sinned against
And, then, let not forget 1.-THE quality
of mercy which sis not strained''-mercy
If not for the assassns,. then for the aged
mother who bore the criminals; for the
father who begot them; those who have
loved them, because it was Gods eternal
edct that they should. The law must
take its appointed pathway, but let the
borders of the road carry as many fragrant
flowers and shade many singing birds
as may be. Even the murderer who plans
to kill has the same fatherhood of the same
God above him as you and I, and all the
innocent. Let mans justice partake of the
dignity of the Masters mercy, and even
the ignorant and unclean will learn to re-
spect the hand that smites. because behind
1T there is heart that feels Saw Won to
the fervid passions of the hour, Peace.
Be still!' And let the whole body polite
learn this lesson. that when the state
strikes out the spark of life from the bosom
or Catherine Ging's assassins, the common
wealth of Minnesota is simply furnishing
two or three or four of her children because
they have learned only the vicious half of
the lessons society is daily and hourly
teaching. And the gambling rooms, and the
-hant ,Ntte,
the liquor saloons, and the bawdy houses
still remain open, day and night, while the
churches are only open on Sunday. And
pubic offices are still bought and sold in
the market places like other chattels. And
vet we can find it in our hearts to thank
God for our higher civilization.
Minneapolis, Dec s, 1894.