Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-09-27

;-@ LoRAIN LEWIS.
Appointed Counsel for Czolgosz.
the jury at once. The court assent
ed and the venerable jurist began an
address that will long be remembered
by those who heard it. Judge Lewis
said:
Much discussion has occurred in our
midst. and has been called to my attention,
as to the propriety of any defense being in
terposed in this case. Many letters have
been received by me since 1 was assigned
with my associate to defend this man,
questioning the propriety of adefense be-
Ing attempted. You gentlemen know, per-
haps, how Judge Titus and myself came
Into this case. The position was not sought
by us, but we appear here. in performance
hof a1duty which we thought devolved upon
X US. Notwithstanding it. was an exceedingly
disagreeable one" IS
Judge Lewis explained that the law of
New York did not permit man to plead
guilty 10 murder In TINS state, but that he
must be. given a trial SO as to prove be-
-yond a reasonable doubt that he was guilty.
/, He continued:
Dangerous Doctrine.
'''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 indi-
viduals who entertain that opinion. We
all feel that such doctrines are dangerous,
are criminal, are doctrines that will sub
vert our government In time If they arc
allowed to prevail. Gentlemen of the jury,
while l believe firmly in that, do not
believe 1t creates danger to this court
equal to the belief, becoming so common,
that men who are charged with crime shall
not be permitted to go through the form Of
trial in a court Of Justice, but that lynch
law shall take the place of the calm and
tdignlfed administration; of the law by our
courts of Justice. When that doctrine be-
comes sufficiently prevalent In this coun-
try, II 1t ever does, our institutions will
be set aside and overthrown, and If we are
not misinformed as to the state of mind Of
some people In some parts of the country.
the time IL fast approaching when men
charged with crime will not be permitted
to come into court and submit to calm and
digniaed trial, but will be strurg up to
tree on the bare suspicion that some one
may hold the belief that they have COM
mitted some crime.
More Dangerous Than Anarchists.
at is not long since read in paper that
colored man In the south had his life
taken because he had insulted white man.
What 1t was the paper did not say, but he
was strung up. ! suggest gentlemen, that
class OF the community who are crying out
In our cities and are sending letters to law
yers suggesting that the man who is
charged with the crime that this defendant
is should not be permitted to have a trial
before court of justice, are a more dan
gerous class to the community than the
anarchists about whom we read so much.
Now, 1t is the duty of every American Cit
izen or every good man to stand firmly by
the law. and put his voice against any idea
that man should be punished for any
crime until he is proven guilty in court,
beyond any reasonable doubt.
My associate and myself are here to up
hold the law. Some weak-minded people
entertain the notion that the lawyer who
appears In defense of defendant is in
court to obstruct the due process of the
law, to balk justice and to delay by tech
nicaltties. But every man who knows
the members of the bar understands that
this is not SO. Ny associate and myself are
here for the same purpose that the learned
district attorney IS here for; to see that
/. this trial progresses in legal, orderly and
proper manner. We must in every way
possible put down and suppress this feel
ing that cases may be disposed of without
the intervention of courts Of JUSTICE.
= A Great object Lesson.
'Ths trial here is great object lesson
to the world. Here Is a case where man
has stricken down the beloved president of
presence of hundreds of thousands of spec,
tators. II there was ever case that would
excite the anger. the wrath of those who
saw it, this was one, and yet. under the
advice of the president: Let no man hurt
him. he was taken confined in our prison
indicted, put upon trial here. and the case
Is soon to be submitted to you, as to wheth-
er he is guilty of the crime charged against
him. That, gentlemen. speaks volumes in
favor of the orderly conduct of the people
of the city of Buffalo.
Here was a man occupying an exalted
position, man of irreproachable char
acter; he was man who had come here to
assist us in promoting the prosperity
our great exposition. And he was shot
down while holding reception
His death has touched every heart in
this community and in the whole world.
and yet we sit here and quietly consider
whether this man was responsible for the
act he committed. That question Ia one you
are called to decide.
Was He Insanee
THE law presumes the defendant limo
cent until he is proven guilty, and we
start with the assumption that the de-
PENDANT was not mentally responsible for
the crime he committed. We have not
been able to present any evidence upon
our part. The defendant has even refused
on almost every occasion to talk with his |
counsel. He has not aided US, SO we have
come here unaided to consider this impor-
tant question. But know there is in every ..
human being strong desire to live. Death
is specter that we all dislike to meet,
and here this defendant, without having
any luminosity against our president, with
put any personal motive, so far as we can
see' committed the act, which, II he was
sane, must cause his death How can a
man with sane mind perform such an .
act? The rabble In the street will say |
no matter whether he is insane or not he
reserves TO be killed. The law. however,
says that you must consider the circum-
stances and see If he was In his right mind l.
or not when he committed the deed. If
you find he was not responsible, you would
ala IN lifting great cloud from the minds
OF the people of this country. II the be-
ioved president had met with q railroad