The San Francisco call., 1898-12-26
Oakland omce San Francisco Call.

Goodwill toward men ana uO not appear to have much in common, but this particular goodwill season in Ala meda County is so closely allied to a per iod of murder that the two cannot pos sibly be separated. Nor can 1t be denied that, to some degree-I do not pretend to say just how much-the "goodwill'' is responsible for the prevalence of murder.
 Last Christmas eve in an Oakland court a young murderess was before a jury. She had shot a young fellow who with many others, had been foolish enough to cultivate her acquaintance. It was learned that the girl had one of the most depraved characters, that she had pre- vious to the murder threatened to shoot this particular lover, and that she bor- rowed the pistol to do the act from a Chinese whom she counted among those who paid her favor. There was really no defense possible, and none to speak of was put forward. But there was a jury in the caSe-a modern jury, being paid S2 per diem for services. It was Christmas eve, and the murderer's lawyer preached an eloquent sermon to the emotional jury law and the facts. Never were more elo- quent references made to peace and good will' from any pulpit. Tt would be crime to punish young woman on Christmas eve"-and she was discharged. while Justice blushed. Nothing was said about the peace on earth in that other home where widowed mother Wept O CT the memory of her son. And they said the girl was insane when she killed a de- cent lad with her Chinese lovers gun. It is worthy of note that since Miss Clara Palmer was released largely on account of emotional insanity, her emotions have not, for whole year, caused her to do anything that sane people would not do, which in itself is somewhat of criticism upon that Christmas eve jury.
 And this Christmas morn, how many homes are there in Alameda County that have been decreased by murder since Charlie Ladue's slayer was declared a heroine instead of being sent to the pent- tentiary?
 There are now six murderers in the County Jail and seven more have been dealt with during the year, and out of all these not one paid the penalty for mur- der, nor is there any likelihood that those who have yet to be tried will fare any diff ferently from those who have gone through the formality of trial. Because of other excitement the murder record of Alameda County for the past year has not been fully realized, but with the close of the year the number of people occupy ing murderers' cells in the jails causes the record to stand out with surprising blackness and silently demand the reason of it's existence.
 Tn walking through the County Jail yes terday l looked into the cell from which, just a year ago, Clara Fallmer was re- leased. It has two occupants now. One is the youthful Mrs. Mentell, who shot her husband a month ago, the other Is Mrs. Brandes, who is accused of being respon- sible for the death of Lillian Brandes. Neither apparently fears anything at the hands of the law. In another cell is Joa- ouin Eslaba who went into an aged ta- male dealers parior, nearly a year ago, and foully beat him to death with piece of gaspipe. He has been tried and con Victed, but has appealed, and is patiently waiting until the Supreme Court can reach his case.
 Pursuing my walk through the corridor I found N, A. Brandes conversing with Frank Cheeseman. Brandes story of bru- tality has just been told in the Justices Court Cheeseman is the man who shot the father of ms sweetheart and who has said that he goes insane for the purpose of doing murder and renews his reason after his acquittal by jury And finally ] found old man Jones. who was convicted of murder ten years ago, and is now wait ing new trial or death on sick bed.
 A glance through the jail docket for 1898 shows that the murderers already named are less than half of those that have been dealt with during the year. One evening at the race track a youth named Bryan, filled with opium and alcohol, fired a bull let into the heart of Deputy Constable Cronin. This Christmas there is vacant chair in the Cronin home. and Bryan, whose attorney wept before the jury, Is serving a trivial sentence at San Quentin The jury was pathetically informed that the boy murderer had a mother and was young. Cronin also had a mother and was young, but that cut no figure.
 J. H. Moffett became angry with his wife one morning at their home on San Pablo avenue He killed her instantly with a pistol, but on account of his age he escaped the death penalty and Is now in San Quentin. Even military camp could not be located here few months without adding to the county's list of murders Private Meadors quarreled with ta Try Of interval Meadors returned and knifed his enemy to death. Alameda County was put to the expense of a trial and a jury re leased Meadors. A military court. in this instance, administered a scathing rebuke to justice in this county, for it tried Meadors on its own account and sent him to a State prison for ten years. A com parative analysis of the manner in which these two verdicts were reached would be interesting.
 Last summer Mrs Abbie Gregory, the Alameda spiritualist, decoyed her ad- admirer, Williams, to her home and killed him, as she explained, to save the lives of her boy and of her divorced husband, who was also a frequent caller. Just why Williams should be shot was never made apparent, but Mrs. Gregory was declared innocent.
 Not many months ago Ferdinand Uhl. an intermittent lunatic, went on a gun ming tour and shot Patrick Murphy mere ly to gratify his mania. Uhl is in an asy- lum, and should he recover he may, like Cheeseman, do some more murder.
 One night quiet Berkeley was electrified to learn that murder had been commit ted in its midst Stacey Rodgers, young man with varied reputation. called on a young grass widow. Another caller was there, and on coming to the door he was promptly shot and instantly killed by Rodgers. The jury was pathetically told that Rodgers was a lad far away from home, and that his life should not be cut on without another chance and Rodgers IS now serving paltry sentence in prison. The fact that his victim, Hayne, had his lie cruelty terminated while young at the pleasure of Rodgers cut no figure
 The Killing by Chung Kee of his partner and the shooting of Hollenbeck by Quong Mow must not be criticized While Christians hold life so cheaply we cannot censure heathens for considering it of lit tie value.
 MT. and Mrs. Brandes. Mrs. MenteI Frank Cheeseman, Joaquin Eslaba and Jones ate their Christmas dinner today while well-meaning mission folk in the corridor sang of peace on earth" and
 good will toward men" I had moi heard the divine words since they led fhe il1rv to discharge Ladue's slayer a year ag0 and ] could not refrain from Wonderine how much the incident of that Christn,a . eve is responsible for the decrease in the value of human life shown in this county by the black record of 1898.
 This record is in itself an arraienment of the present jury system as carried out in Alameda County. Nor am I alone in saying this. A few months ago four iurv-