The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-06-24
Strong Statements Regarding
the Killing of Wallace
AT THE FUNERAL SERVICES
The Character OF Deceased Shown In a
New Light
Some Remarks on the Verdict Of the coron
er's Jury and Call for Full lnves'
tigation Of the Facts

tery yesterday. His wife and brother
in-law, from Chicago, were present at
the funeral services, which occurred at
the First Methodist church, and many OF
the friends and acquaintances of the de-
ceased were in attendance. The services
were conducted by Rev John A. b. Will
son, assisted by Willard D. Ball and j.
H. Blanchard. Several beautiful solos
were sung by Mrs. Mofiit. DR.. Wilson
introduced Mr.. Ball, secretary of the Y.
NJ. C. A., who spoke as follows:
About month ago young man was
holding meeting for boys at the news
boys home and at the close of the services
the little fellows hocked around him in
happy conversation. AS he left he gave
them each kiss, including the little
colored lad who was one of the number
of homeless urchins. Some time ago a
work of an unselfish nature needed car
rying on. A young man volunteered his
services and, urging like duty upon
some of his friends, carried the move
ment to a successful issue. Another in
stance, a man was seriously injured by
an accident. Perfectly helpless he lay
upon his bed and twice day 1t was
necessary that some strong but gentle
hand should move him to his couch in
an adjoining room. A young man vol
unteered his services and absolutely re-
fused the offered compensation although
for days he performed this task. The
young man of each of these three Incl
dents Is the one who is now lying in this
coffin and who has been held up before
this community for the past few days
as a quarrelsome, overbearing bully.
species of wild animal whom it was the
privilege of a good citizen to put out of
the way.
1--WE who knew him know that such
picture is false. The burden of dread
disease caused the mantle of gloom to
spread over him which tended to make
him unpopular with those who did not
know the secret of it or who lacked the
sympathy to appreciate the gallant
struggle he was making against an in
sidious foe. / am not here to judge the
purpose and act of any man. That is
for the properly constituted tribunals.
But l am here in defense of the friend
whose lips have been forever sealed He
was not perfect but let him who has at
tanned perfection first rise to cast a
stone. An honest purpose pervaded his
life and he strove to meet its require
ments. In pursuit of this purpose he
conquered dissipation and other beset-
ting sins, but unfortunately had not yet
with another quick tempered man he
has dispute. Who is to blame? We
shall never know. We do know that his
opponent leaves him for a time. arms
himself with deadly knife whose keen
blade is well suited to draw the life cur
rents from the arteries of one whom he
strikes.
The evidence as I read it gives room
for three suggestions on this point.
Either he deliberately goes into the pres
ence of an angered man and courts dam
ger, which Is not self-defense; or he
goes to renew a quarrel thinking if the
other attacks him he will defend himself,
nor Is this self-defense or with murder
In his heart he gets the knife and then
goes back and strives to get the other
to draw a hammer upon him in order
that he may have a qualification of his
hate and yet hide behind the plea of
seif-defense.
He twits him with having drawn
hammer and uses foul and abusive Ian
guage, but the victim refuses to use
weapon; but finally stung to anger says
that If he mentions the hammer episode
again he will strike him with his fists.
A foul epithet is the answer and as the
victim reaches to strike him the oppor-
tunity has come. The deadly knife is
drawn from its hiding place and not
once or twice but thrice is it plunged
this hypothesis be correct the deed was
murder. l am not here to judge, but 1
am here to say that the facts call for the
fullest investigation and human life Is
not so cheap that men should be dis
charged with slight bail upon virtually
ex parte examinations as those before a
coroner must necessarily be unless the
evidence Is clear and positive as that
In this case certainly is not"
James H. Blanchard spoke Of the pri-
v6&e life of the deceased and mentioned
many instances of his good qualities.
DR.. Wilson at the introduction
of the funeral sermon spoke as
follows: Preliminary to the things
usually fitting to be said on
funeral occasion, the circumstances
of this hour make it appropriate that 1
should make some statements concern
ing reflection cast upon the memory of
our brother. With charity for all and
malice toward none as I believe and un-
derstand the untoWard event which
brings us together 1 shall speak.
knew his virtues and his faults. He had
his unfortunate peculiarities of temper
ament. as well the sterling qualities of
manhood, and we know that with many
slips he was making manly fight to
overcome the unfortunate tendencies
Sober, industrious, honest, faithful, gen.
erous, he felt deeply the besetting sin
Of his life, quick, hot temper, and
worked and prayed for deliverance from
1t. 1t Is not generally known that he
suffered from epilepsy and some of us
who were close to him in those times of
moodiness and of abnormal sensitive
ness thought that there might be periods
Of mental responsibility.
1.-THE verdict was so unexpected to me
that at once sought out some one who
knew, to inquire about the personnel of
the jury, and was promptly assured that
they were honorable gentlemen, as was
also the honored official of the county
who by the distinction of the SURFACES
of his fellow citizens has been elevated
to his present high responsibility. So
that no impeachment may lie against
them or any one of them by the stand
ards of right and wrong which they rec
ognize in the facts before them. From
their own best judgment they gave forth
the verdict that the act of the slayer
was 1ustifiable, in his own defense. It
Is difficult for those of us not there to
see how in case where two men not
very equally matched in physical quail
tiles each voluntarily quarrel until they
come to blows, a quarrel from which
either could have honorably withdrawn,
but when the issue of blows is reached,
the one unarmed, the other armed for
this very issue, but carefully concealing
his weapon. not brandishing it for the
purpose of warning the other of his dam
ger, but concealing it for use. and then
when the fight Is on, in the responsible
ity for which he shares, and finding him
self unable to cope with his antagonist
in the encounter draws the deadly wean-
on and Strfkoa ono ,,oor+o1 49,. - ~.