Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-11-27
A CHRONIC s0itE.

jury or DIS tcUOW cltizenH mas "ite'
tedious and impartial consideration OF
his case found him guilty II Il Va order
to remark that the community as u
whole viii heave Sigh OF relier' me
murder OF Charles Langholz was one
OF the most coldblooded ana causelhss
crimes ever committed In THIS state.
The murderer has shown from the nrat
little realization OF the enormity OF his
ofrense. He was cor yioted by a re.
markablc and speaking ehain OF
oircumstnntlnl evidence. worthy OF
the pen OF oaborlelu. IN
graphic but unbiased words has
tho story been told In the columns
OF the Express, and no doubt has ever
existed In the mind OF this community
as TO the guilt OF the accused The
penalty assessed by the jury VIII be
surprise to many a. no hnif way
measure seemed possible. The. man
was either guilty or he was not. In tho
wisdom OF tho Jury, however 1t was
prob1ble that some consideration
prompted n moderated sentence In pre-
ference to disagreement" An
tonic Express.
The Intelligent reader does not need
TO lift the curtain upon the inner scene
OF this latest OF judicial farces TO learn
what transpired there. a moderated
sentence" was agreed upon by the jur-
ors who had regard for their civil
duties. their moral obligations and
their oaths to prevent n Disagreement
which would offer an opportunity for
the criminal to escape nliugether He
had coaNed citizen OF San Antonio to
make journey by private conveyance
into an isolated country, under the
prctext Of business negotiations. and
there murdered him while his victim
slept under tree There was no ques-
tlon in the mind Of any one or the guilt
OF the accused The only feature OF
the case that could be urged In his he
half was that he showed no Gppre-
citation OF the gravity Of his offense.
This was not singular.
The man capable OF such a crime
must be 30 brutal by nature or through
long debauchcry as to be wholly want
such creature thore Is no punishment
that Furnishes except that which lnnlets
physical suffering, or which haunts
him with the mysterious terror that
death insplres In the vulgar and the
Vicious.
The condemnation Of assassination
hy the statute is plain, and the penalty
Ia adequate. II ever there was case
for which capital punishment was
lifted II was this. The mild punish
mcnt which has been assessed Is vlr-
tunlly notice To every villain In San
Antonio who chcrlshes In his heart
thoughts OF murder for plunder or for
revenge 10 so ahead with his foul
schemes, Tor 1t releases him from the
only fear that law Is able 10 excite In
him. II 10 also warning to every
citizen who Is SO fortunate as to pos
scss enough OF property to excite the
cupldlty oi rascals with whom he may
come In contact that he carries his
lie in his hand from day to day, John
Taylor Is not the only criminal of his
class In San Antonio. II Is lucky II
there are not hundred or more peo-
pie within it's boundaries who under
conditions that might arise would COM
nit Taylor's crime. or one even more
atrociouS u It were possible. His YER
dict will operate as lively stimulant
upon them all. and HB certain as events
net upon society producing their log
teal sequences, win households In San
Antonio now unconscious OF their dan
ger have cause to mourn because the
hnding OF the law is that Taylor COM
mitted mild offensc.
II would be unjust to critlclse Jurors
who reluctantly bring In verdlc,s which
are repugnant to their consclenccs. but
which they approve because they car