Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-02-17

| ORD AND EMERY EXPENSE
THE COURTS ARE TOO TECHNICAL
FOR ECONOMY.
People of Wood County Are lmpa-
tient with Defendants At
tOrnzV.

In another column Of this issue
will be found a voluntary contribu-
tion to this paper from Geo. L. Will
liams, attorney for Lord and Emery,
giving amounts paid to tue attorneys
on both sides of the case by Wood
county. The reader is permitted to
draw his own conslusionS.
In this connection, however, we are
warranted in saying that the people
of Wood county are d1cftA tired of the
expense already incurred in this case
and impatient with the defendants
attorney in going to the supreme court
again upon technicalities even though
orders of the court permit it at the
expense of Wood county. At the
close of the first trial held in this
county the defendants, Lord & Emery,
after fair and impartial trial, were
found guilty of the crime charged.
This verdict was generally satisfac
tory and ought to have been allowed
to stand. But motion for new
trial was made by the defendants
attorney, which was argued'a at length
but denied by Judge Webb. An ap-
peal was takens to the supreme court
| upon technicalities. The supreme
court in remanding it back for new
trial, Said
Chief Justice J. Winslow (after stat
ing the facts in the case). "There was
sufficient evidence to sustain the ver-
dict, and the trial seems to have been
in most respects fair and just, but
there were two rulings made which,
we think, were erroneous, and which
necessitate reversal of the judgment. %
The second trial, which was held in
Wausau, resulted in a disagreement,
and the third trial in a conviction.
Another motion for new trial was
made by defendants attorney and
argued at length, but denied by Judge
Bardeen. The prisoners were sen.
fenced and are back in Waupun. Why
not leave them there? They are just
where they were at the close of the
first trial and Wood county is poorer
by at least $4,000 and the clients
charged with murder no better off.
Who is to blame for all this expense
against Wood county since the first
trial?
OF course we recognize the fact
that the statutes are deficient when
such advantages of the people are
possible, and possibly their attorney
is not to be blamed for taking ad-
vantage of such laws. The tax-bur-
dened people do complain of this
enormous expense and we hold they
have plenty Of cause to. The circum-
stances in this case warrant it. 1t
has already cost the county S22,-
600 and we are informed that Mr..
Williams has given notice that he
will go to the supreme court again
upon more technicalities. Where is
this to end? Have the people no
rights that will be respected?
What do the people care whether
Lawyer Williams, Gardner, Goggins
or Brown received the most money out
of the expense incurred? The only
difference between them is that the
attorneys for the prosecution were
paid by the county alone, while the
defendants were able to draw from
their clients and county both.
In this connection we re-publish
paragraphs taken from the Wausau
papers in regard to the recent motion
for new trial:
Lord and Emery were brought up
from Grand Rapids Wednesday and
their attorney, G. L. Williams, argued
before Judge Bardeen his motion for a
new trial. The reason assigned for
new trial were purely technical, and
after hearing them argued, Judge
Bardeen held they were insufficient
and that the jury's verdict should
stand.-Wausau Herald.
The condemned men were taken to
Waupun Wednesday. An effort will
be made to secure a new trial through
| the supreme court, but will probably
be without result. No men ever had
a fairer trial than was accorded Lord
and Emery in this county and it is not
probable there would be a different
result were they given another chance.
| l-Wausau Central.
This case ought to lead to revision
of the criminal procedure of the state.
When men like Lord and Emery, with
little money, without friends Or in
fuence, can make sport of justice for
years in this fashion, it is a warning
that our system of justice is near to
wreck. If society is to be protected
against the murderer, there must be
a system of law under which murder
ers are more promptly punished.
In recent editorial in the Evening
Wisconsin speaking about the Luet-
CERT case says:
The present trial has been protracted
through seyenty-two days. and the two
trials will cost Cook county 100000. 1t
is wrong that any one individual
should be permitted to swindle the
taxpayers out of SO much money by
protracted legal proceedings. The
United States has become the most
expensive country in the world in the
prosecution of judicial proceedings.
A reform is needed not only in the
United States courts but in every
court in every state in the union.