Willmar tribune., 1900-01-24
Pie id 5 for Ju stice.

- - 8 " ~ OAAS vAAiSV5S{
against theslaw breaking class known
as blint'piggers has had its precedent
in this village. The writer can we'll
remen, er when several years ago our
town was dry" The council then en-
ployed a detective at considerable
cost to the village. Evidence was
produced against the lawless whiskey
gang. The criminals were brought
hefnre the Justice court. The jury of
this court were men of honor and in
telligence who were we'll qualified to
Judge between right and wrong. The
piggers were often found guilty, but
they would always appeal their case
to the district court and there be fonud
innocent of any crime. It must have
been a surprise to the pig keepers
themselves to learn of their innocence
and how, they had been prosecuted by
their fellow citizens of Willmar.
Talking with Individual members of
the jurors after acquittals and they
would say they the jurors) were very
sure that the men were guilty but
there would always be something that
wasn't just right. The "above all
reasonable doubt" was greater OBJ
stacle in these than in other cases. It
was not suficienttha at the jury was con-
vinced of the guilt of the accused; no.
the evidence must be so clear that the
pig ger would admit Of his guilt. It
would not be sufficient for witness
TO testify that what he drank looked
ike whiskey, that it smelt like whiskey,
that it tasted like whiskey and that it
produced the same effects as whiskey.
No. the pig-keeper must be brought to
a point where he would admit that it
Was whiskey. This he would never
do. A liquor sellers oath is just as
tre:scherous and adulterated a. the
VII ,skey he sells, yet his testimony
would be more acceptable than
that of others. Abroad in the county
the people will often hint that the
citizens of Willmar are bad set that
ca.uot punish the illicit vendor Of
intuxicants. The village Of Willmar
has done over again what it did ouce
before; it has brought the pigge"s to
justice. Jures composed Of the best
men have found them guilty of crime.
1t now remains to be seen if the dis
trict court will reverse the verd cts, il
the jury gathered from all parts of the
county will support the village in sup
pressing traffic that is outlawed by
the voters. It is to be believed tha
the village will be sustained since the
county, too, if it had the opportunity
would vote out the traffic by a muc /
gre ater majority than Willmar is able
to muster out.
! The village can do nothiug more
1t mas willingly gone1fnto the expense
OF gathering evidence and to prose
cute as far as it has jurisdiction
What will the county do? The pig
keepers have been found guilty, near
ly all Of them have appealed to tn
district court, and why? Simply be
cause they are in hopes that they ma.
succeed in getting one or more juror
empaneled who. are "soft" toward
liquor and liquor dealers and wh<
will chang" the jury. In this manne
they hope to weary the court and dc
fraud Justice. It remains to be- see
if this set Of law breakers, who openl
defy the law, shall continually find
safe refuge in the district court Th'
Illicit liquor vendor. hopes to find a
ally in the petit jury, may he fin
them an awful tribunal Of justice.
; WILLMAR CITIZEN.