The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-10-09
THE SCITUATE MURDER.

To THE EDITOR THE NEws;
siI-Are the readers of your valuable news
paper to understand that THE News Is goinl
To defend murderer Lawrence Keegan from
the charge OF the horrible crime committed III
scituater READER OF THE NEWS
PROVIDENCE. r. l., October 8, 1884,
THE News begs to promptly reply
mo to that inquiry.
The News is not engaged in the task
of defending anybody, unless its careful
abstinence from indulging in an un-
called-for prosecution, may, negatively,
be considered defense.
AS our correspondent truly suggests,
that was a horrible crime which was
discovered on Friday, September 2S,
when Emily Chambers mutilated body
was found in the Scituate woods.
LAWRENCE KEEGAN is under arrest
charged, pro forma. with killing the un.
fortunate woman. There is some circum-
stantial evidence to the effect that he
did kill her. 1t he is the murderer.
THE NEWS, with all its readers. trusts
that no may suffer the full penalty of
the law and confesses that it doesn't
consider the law severe enough TO fitly
punish him for the cowardly murder of
EMILY CHAMBERS.
But while The News hopes that
LAWRENCE KEEGAN, or whoever may be
the murderer of EMILY CHAMBERS. may
not escape for lack of evidence, il must
repeat what it said Immediately follow
ing kEEGAN's arrest, that public opinion
must not hold guilty of so terrible
crime even so miserable fellow as KEE-
GAN appears to be. Public opinion un-
doubtedlyis often correct in holding sus-
pected person guilty when the law can
not prove guilt and public opinion may be
pardoned for this even though it is not
legally warranted in its conclusion. For.
on the other hand. the law frequently
proves guilt that does not exist and
public opinion is commanded to support
he law IN its successful prosecution.
The case of LAWRENCE KEEaAN is a {
evere problem to thinking persons, and, G
Is suggested by our correspondent seems T
o call for some remarks by this C
newspaper. Since the fellows arrest a
he esteemed contemporaries of THE b
'Ews have devoted whole pages to the a
evelation aud exposition of matters a
caring nearly or remotely upon the
lurder, and all tending to demonstrate te
their readers that LAWRENCE KEEGAN g.
the guilty man. No stone has been al
it unturned the turning of which tr
)ud disclose some new evidence IN
ot necessarily new light on b'
le murder but evidence TO tn
Id to the accumulation that had for its re
lly object the conviction of Keepap. til
ne suspected man has been baited in co
cell by reporters and every feature an
his life that could by any possible dis
huence be twisted to the bent of the RE
Ject ever kept in view namely. thi
'egan's connection with the crime tn,
S been written up and offered to the thu
iders Of these newspapers lac
II LAWRENCE KEEGAN committed the asl
lrder with which he is charged no ma
ongs of this character can be too led
'at to be committed against him. no gre
luisition too severe can be practised. tus
en though one-half Of what is said i
'ogatory Of him cannot be proven and tee
y not be true. He will deserve il all.
y News does not caro- to defend him.
lily or Innocent. THE News onIv i
nts to print facts-news--in its mar
umns and TO ask the public to con- a "u
er nothing but facts, and base its i'm h,v
ssions on nothing but facts. v
Is unnecessary TO state that of the wei
res OF evidence" published in the sina
umns Of The NEWS esteemed con. @"a asu
nporaries only the smallest fraot,o, ,,.,,
that Of only the least Importance. hon
ever be heard in court room. old
Oh of this so-called evidence" while. IL Is
haps, exposing the character of the .i".
y, kEEGAE, has nothing wba,sx.y IN o.