Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-09-25
~ FIRST DEGREE.
Continued from page ~

to do. that person is laborinS under
Very serious misrepresentation as to the
duties devolving upon lawyer. Inc
defendant no matter how serious a
crime he has committed, is entitled
under our laws to the benefit of trial
In the case of murder he must have 4
trial
You sat here and listened to the de-
PENDANTS plea of guilty when he was
arraigned at the opening Of the term
but the law Of our state will not per
nit him to plead guilty to such crime
as this. The law is so careful of the
rights of its citizens that ii Will nCI
permit n man to plead guilty of this
crime of murder, that. even after he
had conceded his guilt in this case, i
was incumbent upon the court To in
sist that the trial should proceed and
that the people should establish be
yond a reasonable doubt that the de-
PENDANT was guilty of the crime charg-
ed against him.
There are in our country individu-
ais. not, | hope, in very large numbers.
but we know they are scattered All
over the country, who think that IL
n case like this or even in charges OF
much less degree, it is entirely proper
that the case should be disposed Of b.
lynch or mob law. We can hardly taxi
up a paper without we learn that in
some part of this free and Independent
country some man has been murdered
on the suspicion or belief that he was
guilty of some crime. This state Of
things does not exist in our community
but it does in some parts of cur stat
as every intelligent man knows.
1T is charged here that our client
is an Anarchist. a man who does not
believe in any law or in any form o.
government And there are. as We are
told. ether individuals who entertain
that opinion. We all feel that such doc
trines are dangerous. are criminal. arr
doctrines that will subvert our govern
ment in time if they are allowed To
prevail.
Gentlemen Of the jury. while | be
licre firmly in that. | 90 not believe il
creates danger 70 this country equal
to the belief becoming 50 common. that
men who are charged with crime shall
not be permitted to go through the
form of trial in court II justio e
but that lynch law shall take the plac q
Of the calm and dignitied administra-
ton OF the law of our courts Of justice.
When that doctrine becomes sutti-
ciently prevalent in this country. If it
ever does. our institutions will be set
aside and overthrown and if We are
not informed as to the state Of nina
of some people in some parts OF our
country the time is fast approaching
when men charged with crime Will not
be permitted to come into court and
submit to 4 calm and Gignitiei trial.
but will be strung up to a tree on the
bare suspicion that some one may hold
that they have committed some crime
1T is not long since | read in Il pa
per that Il Colored man in the SoutL
had his life taken because he had in
suited white man. What it was III,
paper did not say. but he was strung
up. | suggest, gentlemen. that clas4
of community who are crying out il
our cities and are sending letters II
lawyers suggesting that the man who
is charged with the crime that this
defendant is should not be permitteG
to have trial before court of jus
tice. l submit that they are MOI =
dangerous class to the community
than the Anarchists about whom ".
read SO much.
Now it is the duty of every AmeIi
can citizen or every good man to stand
firmly by the law and put his voicc
against any idea that man should b.
punished for any crime until he il
proven guilty in court, beyosd any
reasonable doubt.
My associate and myself are her,
to uphold the law. Some weak mind
ed people entertain the notion that th,
lawyer who appears in defence of Il de
PENDANT is in court to obstruct the due
process Of the law. to balk justice anC
to delay by technicaities. But every
man who knows the members Of the
bar understands that this is not so
My associate and myself are here fol
the same purpose that the learned dis
trict attorney is here for: to see tina,
this trial progresses in legal. ORDERLY
and proper manner We must il
every way possible put down and sup
press this feeling that cases may bt
disposed of without the intervention o.
courts Of justice.
This trial here is q great object les
son to the sorld. Here is a case where
man has stricken down the beloyet
itSINitiit VI liilS county. III - -
daylight. in The presence of hundre /:
of thousands of speCta tors. If the.'
was ever a case that would excite an
ger, the wrath Of those who saw il
this was one and Yet. under the ad
vice of the President. Let no mar
hurt him. he was taken. confined il
our prison. indicted, put upon trial her
ana the case is soon to be submitted il
you. as to whether he is guilty Of TIL
crime charged against him. That. gen
tlemen. speaks volumes in favor of thu
orderly conduct of the people of TIL,
city of Buffalo.
The defendant has refused on ~
most every occasion to talk with hi
counsel. But | know there is in ever'
human being a strong desire to live
Death is spectre that we all disik.
TO meet and here this Defendant with
out having animosity against on
President. without any personal mo
i've. so FAR as we can see, committe,
the act, which if he was sane mus
cause his death
How can man with a sane min,
perform such an act? The rabble /,
the streets will say no matter whethe
he Is insane or not. he deserves to b
Killed The law however cav. ,ba