Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1899-09-06
CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS.

CRIMINAL
The record of criminal prosecutions
in Fergus county for the past year Is
one that should prove most crafty
Ing to taxpayers and lawabjding
citizens. 1t In n record that reflects
credit upon those whose duty 1t Is to
bring evil doors To justice as well as
one which indicates a healthy public
sentiment.
OF eleven criminal cases filed this
year, trials have been had In all save
two. Bryan McSharry and James
Calder. OF the nine cases tried the
state has secured convictions In seven,
the exceptions being the McGinn lar
ceny case and the Drosch assault
case, both minor ,%ffenses. Two men
have been sentenced to death, n
for ten years, one for five years, n
for two and one-hali years, one for
two years and one for one year. In
all ave the Seguin case, wherein the
defendant pleaded guilty, the defend
ants have been represented by able
counsel and their conviction only
obtained after hard fought legal
battles.
For a number OF years Fergus
county was without II murder case
on its court docket, civil business
monopolizing nearly the whole OF a
court session. which were generally
brief and Of little expense tothecoun-
ty. Suddenly n carnival Of crime
seems to have taken the place Of
peace and tranquility and murders
most foul have occurred to the great
injury and expense of the people OF
the county. Yet Fergus county con
tains ~ good a class OF citizens as
any other In the state. Our people
generally are intelligent, Industrious
and law abiding and have as great
an abhorance Of the preparation OF
crime as any other beneath the sun.
The evil-disposed r comparative
ly few in number, transitory In their
character and having little claim to
citizenship in our midst Yet such
persons can do lncalculable harm to
a county, both from n moral ard
financial standpoint.
We believe, however. that there Is
a wholesome remedy for the reckless
use of firearms and the light regard
for human life. Time was in Mon
tana when men wereexpected tOcarry
a death dealing weapon and it a
common practice, but happily that
day has long since passed Every
man is secure in his life and property
rights before the law, and the law
should be invoked to the very last
extremity.
As IA relic OF the past, however,
there are a few would-be bad char
acters whose false and vicious pride
Is not satisfied until they have "killed
their man." To reach this end they
are not particular about waiting for
extreme provocation, but jump at a
plausible xcuse Such men are dan
gerOus to any community and the
people have little use for them.
1t rests with the people and the
courts of justice to weed out such
characters by a strict enforcement of
the law. There should be no maudlin
sentiment to thwart a just retribu-
tim.
When the people display a strong
determination to put an end to need
less killing, when they come to the
support of the courts to give them
strength, ms now seems to be the
case in this county, there il little
danger Of an miscarriage OF justice,
WflIt us 'iiltiiistt utIou VIII biibE
terror and dismay to those who hold
human life valueless.
There IL only one danger to the
meeting out of justice In this state,
and that lies In the board of pardons
and In executive clemency. Thelatter
has been too freely exercised In this
state, and we understand Governor
Smith will be petitioned to pardon
one or two of those convicted at this
term Of court. The people should
brook no interference Of this kind
without n full hearing, and the jury
men who found just verdicts in these
cases should not weaken and nullify
their work by yielding to n sickly
and pernicious sentimentalism that
makes them forget the nature OF the
crime which they passed upon.
All honor To n just and fearless
Judge, all credit to vigilant and able
prosecutors and conscientious and
honorable iurymen, for in such rests
the safety OF society. They are the
bulwnrka az this great rpDuhlic.