New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-09
THE HAZLETON CASE.

The Judge who is presiding over the trial at
Wilkesbare, Penn. Of Sheriff Martin and his
deputies shows commendable frmness Of spirit
In the conduct Of sensational case. Whether
merely from a desire to make what IS called
interesting reading in some quarters out OF the
court proceedings, or with the sinister purpose
Of fomentiug the passions Of those who have
already taken sides against the accused re-
porters In attendance at the trial have, In the
opinion Of Judge Woodward, grossly distorted
the facts and incidents described by them, and
the severe rebuke which he delivered from the
bench on Monday did not lay too much stress
upon the gravity Of such an offence. AS he i'm
pressvely said, the issues involved are those
of life and death, and he is under an impera-
tive obligation to preserve the dignity OF the
court before which they have been brought
The shooting Of the Hazleton miners last Sep
TENDER was a deplorable occurrence, the rights
and wrongs OF which 1t was peculiarly difficult,
indeed impossible, TO determine at the time
owing TO the conflicting testimony Of those who
were engaged in it and Of witnesses who under
took to tell what they had seen. The chief
actors did not even agree with one another
and more than one Of them contradicted him
self II was said that the Sheriff was armed
and that he was unarmed; that he gave the
order TO fire and that he gave no such order;
that he was in danger Of his life and severely
injured, and that, whether In danger or not,
there were no marks Of violence upon him.
These and other opposite statements furnished
the material for an excited controversy, which
baffed those most DESTROYS Of ascertainlng the
truth. Perhaps a general impression survived
that the officers of the law had not shown the
highest quality of moral courage and self-con-
troll but the main question OF justification re-
manned unsettled.
II Is for the determination Of that question
that the court is now sitting at Wilkesbarre
with all requisite resources at It's command for
the discovery Of the truth and the doiLg Of JUS
tice While the shooting Of the strikers was
a matter Of current news the papers were war
ranted not only in printing all versions Of the
affair, but In drawing such conclusions as q
consideration Of conflicting reports might sug-
gest This was done, and so long as an inten-
ton to obtain correct story of the facts and
reach an honest opinion of them was apparent
there was no fault 10 find But the stuati
has changed. The informal tribunal has been
replaced by the regular forms Of law, and this
Is no time TO solicit passion and ignorance for
n repetition of old tales. Least OF all is 1t the
time for attempts to create an atmosphere Of
distrust about the court which is engaged in a
most solemn duty.
That thoughtess or maevOlent reports Of the
trial are not the Courts only cause Of compla int
was disclosed yesterday. when Judge Woodward
announced that he was constantly receiving
anonymous letters filled with abuse and threats,
and sgnfed his dsdaln for such devices 10
l.; 4, to,
ence Of Judges when they are trying causes Of
like nature TO be similarly assailed with warn
ings, 10 which they pay no attention. Possibly
Judge Woodward's frank avOwal from the
bench may be described as theatrical by those
to whom his conduct has not given satisfaction
but the fact that he deemed 1t proper to speak
Of the matter should rather be regarded as in
dicating his recognition of the necessity for
supplementing his previous exposure of the
agencies which, with without clear sense
Of responsibility, are endeavoring to influence
the course OF justice. The effect ought to be
salutary.