The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-19

upon the cold facts as they appeared
from the testimony and not upon SYM
pathy. He said II they believed down
in their hearts that Riley was insane
which his witnesses refused to say
they should turn him loose. but II they
thought he was sane. as the evidence
and that he e down to the
defenseless and kindly old then
the verdict should declare him guilty
of murder IN the FIRST degree.
Mr.. Stapleton concluded his address
at 20 minutes after II O'Clock.
c. T. Cason. for the defense. Informed
the jury that he appeared for Riley by
Silver Bow county. He said that on
one side of the case were big n pow
erful corporations Of Butte, and on the
other q poor. unfortunate and friend
less man. He said that all the jury
had to consider. however. was whether
he shot and killed Mr.. Largey. The at
torney related an incident OF some
crazy man in Pennsylvania to prove
nat some insane persons were the most
reasonable. The facts of the great ex-
plosion in Butte. by which Riley lost a
persons were killed. was rome over by
Mr.. Cason, and he asked the jury II
the evidence OF his suffering and his
subsequent acts did not show a de-
ranged mind. He had decisions and
Authorizations. and everything indicat-
ed that he was certainly not Responsible
for the acts committed on the 11th or
last January. though he might be sane
on some subjects. II the jury enter
tains q reasonable doubt as to the de-
PENDANTS sanity. said Cason, the de-
PENDANT be given the beneht OF
that doubt. He related another noted
story Of an insane case to illustrate
how narrow was the time between san
ity and insanity. Evidence that Riley
was not in his right mind was that
which showed that he killed q man
who had repeatedly befriended him,
who had assisted him in his mining
ventures and other ways-killed him
without provocation. Mr.. Cason re-
lated several more stories about crazy
people, and then referred again to the
powerful corporations in Butte who had
violated the law by storing great guam
titles of powder In their warehouses.
which exploded and killed many peo-
pie and manned many others, among
whom was the unfortunate defendant.
The attorney said there was one re-
markable feature about the case. and
referred to the fact that a change OF
venue was taken from Butte, and aid
the purpose OF 1t was to al Riley
away ITOIu his Hoiuc ~ iiithus otiu
make more certain that he would be
brought to the gallows. Mr.. Cason
talked about 45 minutes, and at the
conclusion of his address the court ad-
journed for the noon recess.
Judge j. NJ. Clements. chief counsel
for the defendant, addressed the jury
upon the reconyening OF court. He
said the common citizen OF this coun-
try was often called upon to perform
a disagreeable duty. He believed the
Jurors had such a duty to perform. and
he thought his own duty was very 1T
tie more agreeable than that OF the
Jury. There IL no law OF man or God,
said he. hat has no cause n erect.
Patrick A. Largely Is dead. That Is the
effect of a cause. The officers OF the
law have placed their n upon a
man and have said he was the cause
of IL. The Jury Is called upon to de-
termine not only whether he was the
cause, but also whether he was respon-
sible for it. A man may kill himself.
He rsay kill himself by placing a pistol
to his head, and he may Kill himself
by infiicting upon another a grievous
injury. and that man may cause MS
death. There is a rule of law In this
country that a man may bring o
his own death in that way. and no one
else can be held legally responsible for
Thomas j. Riley, or what remains of
what once was Thomas j. Riley, under
his constitutional rights should have been
tried by a Jury of his peers and among
HIS own people in the city of Butte. The
fact tina a jury Of IL men are called upon
in Lewis and Clarke county. and called
upon to try him is a significant fact
In considering the facts OF this case.
There must have existed a very grave
condition of affairs In city of Butte and
sh> oo,,pfv ~ Eflx-ar Row that COmDclIed
the county attorney TO go elsewhere to
try this case. What effect did that condi-
ton have upon this defendant! What
was that condition that so poisoned the
minds of the thousands Of Just men IN
Butte that the state arrived at the conclu-
sion that the letter of the law could not
be carried out? If that condition or al
fairs so effected the minds of the whole
community until the poisonous virus OF
a great Injustice. what effect can II have
had on the mind of this enc on the
18th of last January? The same condition
of affairs that exists In the minds OF hon.
est men I'm Silver Bow county had an ef-
feet on the minds of men less fortunate.
and somebody was responsible for II. the
states attorney may claim that Riley was
urged on by others and that there was a
conspiracy among them to commit MUIR
der. The array of witnesses with empty
sleeves, with empty clothes. who suffered
from the same great injustice that Thorn
as ]. Riley has suffered. may be accused
of conspiring to murder. but the jury will
say that there was a different cause Tor
the death of Patrick ]. Largey. ! will not
say. said the attorney, that Patrick A.
Largey indirectly took his own life. but
some one in Butte was the cause
of IL. II there was such q condition ex-
listing in the minds of the people of Butte
that the prosecuting officers Of that coun-
ty did not dare to put the defendant on
trial there for fear that the state would
not get justice, what effect do you think
that same condition had on the mind of
this unfortunate defendant. who, in addi-
ton to his MANNED body. had for two
years suffered and brooded over the great
wrong that he believed had been inflicted
on him, and who had been driven to des-
! peration7 / do not believe that Thomas
| J. Riley, when he entered the bank. had
any more thought Of killing Patrick A.
Largey than he had OF killing himself.
He went in there believing that he was
the victim Of a great wrong. and when
Patrick A. Largey threatened to send