Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1897-11-21
THE JoSEs-ou1SAN CASE.
Tho UnpreJudieed Opinion OF AN
Elko MAJ.

Elko MAJ.
To THE EDIToR cP lSpEPES-
DENT; Sir: / noticed in the JSDs-
PENDENT OF last night a telegram
from Carson. stating that the young
man Guipan, Who shot and killed
District Attorney Jones a few days
ago, has got of scott free, the Grand
Jury having ignored tue indict-
ment.
In the interest OF humanity every
where; in the interest OF the right
distribution OF justice aud equity
among us, am constrained to cx-
press my opinion c: The seemingly
farcical Niud-up To- 4 terrible trag-
edy. From the newspaper accounts
that have read. detailing the affair,
l should say, that Young Guinan, in
his no doubt natural desire to save
his father from any violence at the
hands o. Jones. wss altogether too
haSty In firing the shot. which re-
suited IN the killing OF the latter
Guinxn should certainly have waited
until there ESs al evident intention
O. the part OF Jones TO make an as
Ault. o. N attempt to Kill DR.. Gui-
TN The mere fact Of Jones putting
bis hand into his coat pocket Was not
! sv2aelt Indication of that insen-
SCc- ro- did It make the shooting iii
-! gay !us:ifgbie. The boy. shoot
- - be cid without such apparent
Intention being clearly evidenced by
jones, has committed a crime, the
degree OF which should be decided
By iaT. At this writing We here are
IN the dark as to the cause OF the
failure OF the Grand Jury to render
an indictment, but it certainly looks
very strange to US now, and we Won
der if right, justice, law no longer
exist.
So far as the impartial mind of the
public can judge from what has been
published regarding the affair. there
Was no good and sufficient reason for
young Guinan TO suppose that Jones
meant 10 kill Or even assault his
father. Having fired upon Jones
when he did makes it seem very
probable, in fact most apparent. hat
the 10y had within him u strong de.
sire to unload his gun in the deadly
manner which he did.
In my opinion, the freeing % tho
boy, il be really is to go free, will lie
IA license to hot headed aud reckless
individuals to draw & gun on the
slightest possible excuse, and expect
to be upheld by the law OF the State
upon their declaring that they antici-
pated being assaulted or killed IS
some unsuspecting and, perhaps, in.
nocent victim. Surely we, as public
citizens, cannot be expected to relish
such a condition us that existing in
our midst; nor car we become recon-
ciled to Il law, which seems to sanc-
hIOu lue tanning VI uuOtI'cI > lie upon
the fiirnsy plea that the slayer
thought the other intended to kill
him or someone else.
In this letter l have no wish to 90
into the circumstances surrounding
this seemingly unprovoked crime, or
the sympathy the public may have
with the boy on account Of his desire
to maintain the integrity and honor
OF his family. l wish only to state
the case in the light OF the immediate
facts, which are given rs the sole ex-
cuse by the boy for his having COM
mitted the deed, in order to show
how, from this standpoint, the boys
acquittal might give license to others
and thus jeoparGize our safety and
impair the confidence we should be
able to place upon justice and law.
w. \. &.
Elko, Nevada, Nov. II, 1897.