The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-05
A Few Facts.

SNfiASh tNoNNANN-
inal conditions as the speaker conceives
them to exist in Seattle, took occasion
| to assert that the killing of Policemen
| Wells and Roberts, in the earlier
months of Mayor Humes' administra-
| ton, was due TO lawless condition for
which the city administration was re-
| spcnsible. Further than that, Rev. Mr.
| Randall declared, the recent failure Of
the coroner's jury to implicate C. w.
| Shomo in the murder OF Charles p
Morbacher was due to outside influence
| brought to bear on the jury.
| In regard to the killing OF Wells. 1t
is a well-known fact that he was muir
| dered by a desperate ex-convict from
| British Columbia, who had been in the
| city but short time--less than three
days-and who was being arrested and
thrown into Jail on strong suspicion of
murder occurred. 1t is well known that
/ this murder was committed within nine
! days after Mayor Humes was installed
I
in office, and several weeks before the
so-called Humes policy was inaugur-
/ ated touching the regulation of gam
bling and kindred evils.
The murderer OF Wells was duly ar
rested and tried. 1t has been openly
and publicly charged by the fusion
prosecuting attorneys office of King
county that his failure to secure SUBJ
stantiai justice was due to the failure
OF the superior court of King county,
presided over by a fusion judge, to
properly instruct the jury as to the
gravity Of his crime.
! Regarding the murder OF Roberts, the
facts are equally well known. He was
serving as special policeman in citi-
zen's clothes. He was appointed as
such by Mayor Humes for the express
| purpose of suppressing lawlessness. 1t
Is well known by people who keep
themselves informed that the result of
the appointing of several special police
men. of whom Roberts was one. was TO
stamp out completely for many months
| that being the particular crime which
caused their appointment.
| The Shomo- Morbacher case was one
In which the police had little or nothing
to guide them in seeking out the perpe-
| traitor OF the crime. Yet within twenty
| four hours after Morbacher's dead body
\ was found. Charles W. Shomo was ar
rested and charged with the crime.
| The case was handled by the fusion
/ prosecuting attorneys office before the
/ coroner's jury. and it was well known at
the time of the inquest that the evil
| dence against Shomo was not strong
! The jury, which was made up of repu-
table citizens, did not feel justified in
bringing the case home TO Shomo In
| view OF the weakness of the evidence
| against him at that time.
Those familiar with the criminal law
jury to implicate anyone in the killing
of another unless the facts be palpabe
/ "a condition which did not exist in the
! Shomo case. Later. however. Shomo
/ was brought before Judge Cam. addi-
| tional evidence was produced against
/ him. and he was duly held without bail
| to answer In the superior court TO the
! charge Of murder in the first degree.
He is now awaiting this trial
Persons familiar with the history OF
/ crime in other Coast cities have no hes
itation In declaring that Seattle. during
| the past several years OF her prosperity,
! has been more free from crime than
| any OF her sister cities. IL Is notorious
| that prosperity brings criminals In It's
train. they being equally anxious. along
I with people In legitimate walks OF life,
/ to share In the good times Of city
where money is plenty. The Klondike
rush-not Mayor Humes policy
I brought hundreds Of criminals to Sc
attic, criminals who stood high In their
I nsfarious calling. yet IL Is well under-
I stood that crime in Seattle for the past
/ three years has been at a minimum,
and where 1t has been committed the
I police have been not slow TO seek ou.
I ard bring to Justice the perpetrators u
1 1T. In eases ~ large thsfts-tor In
stance the big F1nck hurglary--the 20
| lice have had remarkable success in re-
covering stolen property and restoring
| It 20 its lawful owners,
I
The fusion rally thought It would ac-
! ccmpiish great things last Saturday
| night. and il must be admitted that one
| great effort was followed by success. II
| was able 10 shut OF Judge MeGilyra.
1 and that Is a herculean task that has
/ been rarely performed in these parts
/ -. sf-~.