The Forrest City times., 1901-09-27
CZOLGOSZ FOUND GUILTY.
The Majesty of the Law Main tained in the Conduct of I
 the Trial.
JUDGE LEWIS SPEECH FOR THE DEFENSE.
Annrchism and Mob Violence Com pared and 10th Condemncd-Dis- trict Attorney Pcnncy's Appeal for Justice-JudGe Whites In- structions to the Jury Left No Room for Two Opinions.

for Justic.-Judse Whites In-
 Room for Two Opinions.
 Buffalo, N. Y., Sept. 25.-Leon F. Czolgosz, alias Fred. Nieman, was found guilty. yesterday, of murder in the first degree, oy a jury in Part III. of the supreme court, in having. on the sixth day of September, shot President William Mckinley, the wounds inflicted af;crward resulting in the death of the president.
 Before adjournment Justice White announced that he would pronounce sentence upon the defendant on Thursday afternoon at two o'clock.
 At 2:44 D. m. District Attorney Pen ney abruptly announced that the case of the prosecution was ended. Judge Lewis arose slowly and addressing the court, said that the sudden close of the case against Czolgosz was a sur prise to him and his colleague. They had no witness to call for the defense. He asked the court that he be allowed to address the jury at once The court assented, and the venerab ble jurist began an address that will long be remembered by those who heard it. Judge Lewis said:
 Gentlemen of the Jury: A calamity has fallen upon this nation through the act Of this man, but the question is whether his act was the act Of an insane man. If an insane man, l. is no. rnltr= fer and should nf gb Ia would then. of course. be transferred 10 an asylum
 Much discussion has occurred tn our midst, and has been called to my atten- being interposed in this ease. Many letters have been received by me since I was assigned with my associate to de- fend thlS man, questioning the propriety of defense being attempted. You gen tlemen know, perhaps. how Judge Titus and myself came into this case The posi- tion was not sought by us. but we appear here in performance of a duty which we thought deVolVed upon us notwfthstand- ing II was an exceedingly diSagreeable one. His honor. the judge who presides at this trial as justice of the supreme court, Is here because the law makes II his duty to sit and preside at this trial.
 Our very distinguished and able district attorney has prosecuted this actf9n te- cause the law makes it his duty to do so You, gentlemen, are sitting there because you were commanded to appear here and under our system of jurisprudence it was your duty to sit here hear the testi- mOny in this case, and perform the duty of determining whether this man is to be executed or set free.
 The defendants counsel appear here be- cause snder our system of jurisprudence no man can be placed on trial for the high crime of murder. the penalty of which under the law, is death. without he has the assistance of counsel The court has the power to designate counsel, and it Is the duty of the counsel thus designated to appear in the case unless they can make some reasonable excuse and succeed in being relieved of the duty
 Gentlemen, when they become members Of the legal profession become members of the court. They are cnmpelled if as- signed, to defend criminal or rather the one who is charged with crime They are compelled to respond and accept the duty unless they can present some reasonable excuse, and If they refuse to perform that duty they are guilty of a mlsdemeanor, and are liable to punish ment by the court.
 So you see, gentlemen, if any simple minded, thoughtless person should enter tain the notion for a moment that the counsel who appear in this case are do- ing something which they ought not to do, that person Is laboring under d very serious misapprehenson as to the duties devolVng upon lawyer. The defend ant no matter how serious crime he has committed. is entitled under our laws to the benefit of trial. In the case of murder he must have trial.
 You sat here and listened to the defend ants plea of guilty when he was ar raigned at the opening of this term, but the law of our state will not permit him to plead guilty to such crime as this. The law is so careful of the rights of it's citizens, that it will not permit a man to plead guilty to this crime of murder, so that, even after he had conceded his guilt in this case, 1t was incumbent upon the court to insist that the trial should he taJ, fish beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was guilty of the crime charged against him.
 There are in our country individuals, not 1 hope in very large numbers but we know they are scattered all over the country, who think in case like this, or even in charges of much less degree, it is entirely proper that the case should be disposed of by lynch or mob law We can hardly take up paper without we learn that in some part of this free and inde- pendent country some man has been mur- dered on the suspicion or belief that he was guilty of some crime. This state ot things does not exist in our community, but it does in some parts of our state as every intelligent man knows.
 It is charged here that our client is an anarchist. a man who does not believe in any law or in any form of government. And there are so We are told other in dividuals who entertain that opinion. We feel that such doctrines are dangerous, are criminal, are doctrines that will sub vert our government in time if they are allowed to prevail.
 Gentlemen of the jury, while l believe firmly in that, l do not believe it creates a danger to this court equal to the be- lief becoming SO common. that men who are charged with crime shall not be per mitted 10 go through the form of a trial in court of justice, that lynch law shall take the place of the calm and digniied administration of the law by our courts of justice.
 When that doctrine becomes sufficiently prevalent in this country. If it ever does. our institutions will be set aside and over- thrown, and if We are not misinfOrmed a to the state of mind of some people in some parts of the country, the time is fast approaching when men charged with crime will not be permitted to come into court and submit to a calm and dignifed trial. but will be strung mp to a tree on the bare suspicion that some one may hold