The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-09-16
Z AGDEN BUREAU.
Business and Editorial ONCE SO
Utah Loan 81 Trust Building.
Telephone 29S.
ogden, September 16.
TALKED ALL DAY.
Arguments in the vernal Cases
Many Spectators Present.
Ogden. September 16.


Promptly at 10 o'clock court resumed
its session yesterday morning to hear
the remainder Of the arguments of the
case of the People VS.. e. B. Coleman
ct al
Mr.. Coleman appeared somewhat inn
proved in condition since the previous
day, though he sti1l seemed weak.
The spectators were out in full force
all day. The same spectators, nearly,
seem to have followed the case all
through. From the reporters tab e
the same faces have been seen in the
same places day after day as regularly
as have the faces above the jury box.
Straup continued his argument, his
main point being that the shooting was
justifable.
Preston also urged the plea OF just
fable homicide.
In the afternoon, a delay occurred
on account Of the severe illness of Juror
Firth In the judges chamber the al
torneys were grouped, discussing the
case. Judge Powers was laughing, chat
ting and telling stories as though one
of the greatest of his celebrated
speeches was not on tap.
1t was found an adjournment would
have to be taken, but later the juror
might proceed. Judge Powers began by
saying:
Il never approach a cause where life
is at stake without feeling deeply the
responsibility which rests upon man
who attempts such a task. Human life
and human liberty are so sacred that
neither Should be taken without the
most positive proof.
II stand here to speak for those three
men on trial for their lives. and no
doubt 1 shall weary you, but I ask that
you remember my responsibilities.
The judge laid stress upon the fact
that his clients should be considered
innocent until they were proven other
wise
Coleman was a prospector, an honor
able occupation. They start out in hope
and end, perhaps, in the dismal swamp
of disappointment. They are pioneers.
They blaze the way for civilization.
They go out amongst the soltudes and
the silence of the stars and read the
/ leaves of natures books, which speaks
/ poetry to them. They are not practical.
They make the poorest bargains of
anyone on earth. Such a man was Cole
man. A man who could secure the
love of such woman as was on the
/ stand in his behalf, could secure the
highest kind of tributes from men well
/ known the country over as intelligent,
/ god-fearing men.
I If the character of such a man can be
4 assailed, what does character amount
/ to? One of the greatest civiiSzers is
/ the railroad. In this community OF
! Vernal there was no railroad, and the
people lived in a, careless, unconVefl-
/ tional manner. In such community
lived his other clients, Warner and
| Wall. They too, stood before the COM
munity and the jury as innocent men
IT has been said that we should say
nothing but good for the dead. Death
! covers all ike q, mantle of charity, yet
he was compelled to speak of them
plainly and truly. Melton and the
/ Stauntons were outlaws. They were
foraging upon the world They were
banded together under the Leadership
of Melton, defying the laws of society
The speaker then went over the con-
duct of Swift and the circumstances
attendant on them to show that ne
must have been in collision with Mel
/ ton.
The judge read the dying statement
of Stanton and pointed out evidence
that 1t was dominated by hatred OF
Coleman. Repeatedly, when asked
who fired the first shot, Melton had
said, warner and Wall We're not tc
blame" He had blasphemed at Cole
man and wanted to kill him even
when the shadows of death were creep
ing over him.
All are guilty or all are innocent
There is no middle ground. They are
guilty either of murder in the first de-
gree or are not guilty at all. We
stand here apologizing for nothing
After all there is only one man or
trial. The case must stand or fall as
/ Coleman is innocent or guilty.
The Judge closed with an eloquent
appeal for the jurors to obey the strict
est dictates of their consciences and
not pronounce the word guilty unit
each and every one of them was salts
fed beyond a reasonable doubt thai
guilty should be said.
Court adjourned till this morning
when David Evans will conclude the
argument.