Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-10-02

a tree on the bare suspicion that some one
may hold the belief that they have COM
mitted some crime.
This trial here is great object lesson
to the world. Here is case where man
has stricken down the beloved president of
this country, in broad daylight, in the
presence of hundreds of thousands of spec
tatoIs. If 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 man occupying an exalted
position, a man of irreproachable char
acter; he was man who had come here to
assist US in promoting the prosperity of
our great exposition. And he was shot
down while holding a 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 is one you
are called to decide.
'The law presumes the defendant 1nno-
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 a strong desire to live. Death
is specter that We all dislike to meet
and here this defendant. without having
any animosity against our president, with
out any personal motive, so far as we can
see, committed the act, which, if he was
sane, must cause his death. How can
man with sane mind perform such an
act? The rabble in the street will say
no matter whether he is insane or not, he
deserves to be killed. The law, however,
says that you must consider the circum-
stances and see if he was in his right mind
or not when he committed the deed. If
You find he was not responsible, you would
aid In lifting great cloud from the minds
of the people of this country. If the be-
loved president had met with a railroad
accident and been killed our grief could
not compare with what it is now. If you
find that he met his fate through the act
of an insane man, 1t Is the same as though
he met it by accident. had the Profound
est respect for President Mckinley, I
public career, and he was one of the noblest
men God ever made. His policy we care
nothing about, but 1t always met with my
profoundest respect. His death was the
saddest blow to me that has occurred in
many years."
Judge Lewis was crying when he
finished and the eyes of many of
those in the courtroom were filled
with tears.
Judge Titus then arose and said
that Judge, Lewis had so completely
covered the ground that it seemed
entirely unnecessary for him to reit-
crate it, and he would therefore rest.
District Attorney Penney then
summed up the case to the jury, aft
er which the judge delivered his
charge.