The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-27

THE CONNELLA CASE
Very few iuriss would return verdict
Of guilty of murder in any degree In face
Of such a charge as that delivered BY
the Judge In the case OF conneila-
II was not In the language used. but
its iteration and reiseraiioE. wherein the
court presented To the jury the danger
of doubt and a possible injustice. IL was Ia
tho persistence with which the JnstliAble
homicide phase was presented that The
charge warned against the possibility OF
IN error In what must. In spite
Of ali the judge said es eonclu-
sion az to which there might be very
serious differences of opinion.
However, the accused has been acqnit-
ted; and he Is entitled To the benefit Of
his good luck. Without casting any re-
lection either upon him or upon any
body else connected with the case. and
taking no more than general view OF
= public incident. IL may not be improper
TO say that we hope the result VIII not
be regarded AZ Justifying the use OF
weapons upon every seeming pruvoca-
ton. The state Of Washington Is not
lawiess state. nor is 1t the misfortune OF
its cities TO have fire-eaters such as have
made Texas notorious. nor have we
~ those who so frequently shoot and
are shot In the boisterous districts Of
some Of the western and southern
states.
Any man Ii justified In protecting him
oelf from injury. and of forestalfing a
purpose TO kill him by being the first
% fire. II 10 not compliment to any
community that disputes shalt be set
tied that way: bat since no community
u free from the presence OF mlschief-
makers. the general principle OF tustia-
able homicide must DO maintained.
X In to be hoped. also. that this YER
diet will not be accepted as setting up
the standard OF journalism. The Incl.
dents connected with the shooting were
differently described by different wit
nesses; how fsr Conneila was really In
danger cannot be- determined positively.
but the prior circumstances are no, in
dispute. Conneiia had used his newspa-
Per To abuse man In terms which he
would know must provoke resentment.
and which IL used on the streets 10 the
mans face would be answered
by blow. He followed up his
advantage and then affected t.
believe that his life was I'm
danger, He armed himself and when
he met the man ne had assalIe,s In print.
he advanced Ia offer explanations or 10
repeat his ofrense. A peace maker
shouldercd him away. He knew he was
armed, bat dla nor know whether the
man he was seeking To provoke mas
armed or not. lie returned "a the scSna
and then heing pushed hack and down
on 10 the f,eor reached fer his revolver
The other man Is then said IL have
struck him with his cane. one witness
says that Nelson. the man who was
shot, hit Connslla ever the head Other
witnesses say that he on,y struck Con
neils on shs wrist with his cane In or,,e,
70 keep him from drawing his revolver
TIE that as II may. while Nelson was be-.
Inc pulled away by hystanders co.nsila
drew his revolver and fired. and Nelson
seu.
The degree - cu'raheity can erlv Re
determined by the circumstances We
have no desire IN commenting tron this
ease "a Do otherwise than IN r~r.e,t
that the Law Is inadequate II saeh ~
lenses against society RAY PASS wtthou,
eren shadow - Punishment; s-anr.el
Is escapes With ret even prcte7,44 - a
penalty which woalf have bean faaletsa
rpen him FER carrying tbs revolver vita
IN municipal limits even hal NJ never
taken i' fron1 hta poeket. ot altered =
TIRES: In connection WITH II.
Theee IS Eet ane waryl ~ earssse~.-
ton in either charge or vee3s.t - ;he
rV"F-sesissasea preveessscn ysa agsessss ~
P~Fsss'sn, alsase Tae las ia tnaae.
eus'e which makes aist!r >sion ~
tween abuse sat snto typ ana abuse - B.
tered ~ the 'oswae R2a Cssnne.s4 s.~s.s
sne 'ans@aSe - NT5san IN his pressrs,e
alone any tarv woaia have said thas
Ns'son ~as tassssses Us r senssas y
essn though the la& aa<s nos aeAmosss.