The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1901-09-28
QQG)SZ FOUND GUILTY.
The Majesty of the Law Main
tanned in the Conduct of
the Trial.
hinge lENls' SPEECH FOR The DEFENSE,

xriCt AtNOChCy
Tor Ju.tice-Judse Whites In
.,ruction. to the Jury Left No
uoom for Two Opinions.
Buffalo. N. ", Sept. 25.--Leon +.
c,o,cosz alias Fred. Nieman, was
tound guilty, yesterday, of murder in
.1a tirst degree, oy jury in Part III.
W tbe supreme court, in having. on
ths sixth day of Septemner, shot
president % william Mckinley, the
wounds inflicted af;crward resulting
IN the death of the president.
pefore adjournment Justice White
announced that he would pronounce
sentence upon the defendant on
Thursday afternoon at two O'Clock.
Ate:44 p. m. District Attorney Pen
nov abruptly announced that the case
of the prosecution was ended. Judge
Lewis arose slowly and addressing the
court said that the sudden close of
tbe case against Czolgosz was a sur
nrise 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 venerable
iurist 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.
II an insane man, i Is not miirder and
ne should be acquitted of that charge He
would then, OF course, be transferred 10
an asylum.
Much discussion has occurred IN our
midst, and has been called to my atten-
toin as to the propriety of any defense
| being interposed in this case. Many
letters have been received by me since
was assigned with my associate to de-
fend this man, questioning the propriety
of defense being attempted; You & gen
tlemen know, perhaps, how Judge Titus
and myself came into this case. The posi-
ton was not sought by us. but we, appear
here in performance of duty which We
thought deVolved upon us, notwithstand
ing II was an exceedingly disagreeabl'
one. His honor, the Judge who preside
at this trial as justice of the supreme
court is here because the law makes
II his duty to sit and preside at th
trial.
Our very distinguished and able distric
attorney has prosecuted this action lie
cause the law makes 1t his duty to do sc
You, gentlemen, are sitting there becaus
you were commanded to appear here an
under our system of Jurisprudence 1t wa
your duty to sit here, hear me testi @
Of determining whether this man Is to
executed set free.
The defendants counsel appear here bt
cause, under our system of Jurisprudene
no man can be placed on trial for tn
high crime of murder, the penalty
which, under the law, is death. witho,
he has the assistance OF counsel III
to., ho 20 Ia
and it is the duty of the counsel thu
designated to appear in the case unle
they can make some reasonable excu
and succeed in being relieved of the dut
Gentlemen, when they become membe
Of the legal profession become members
the court. They are compelled, If a
signed, to defend a criminal, or rath
the one who is charged with Grim
They are compelled to respond and acce
the duty unless they can present sor
reasonable excuse, and If they refuse
perform that duty they are guilty OF
misdemeanor, and are liable to punis
ment by the court
So you see, gentlemen. If any. simp
minded, thoughtless person should entt
counsel who appear in this case are {
ing something which they ought not
do, that person is laboring under a We
serious misapprehension as to the dut
devoving upon a lawyer. The defer
ant no matter how serious crime he
committed, is entitled under our laws
tne Denent OF trlal. IN lHS cast
murder he must have trial
You sat here and listened to the defeI
ants plea of guilty when he was
raigned at the opening of this term, !
the law of our state Will not permit 4
TO plead guilty to such a crime as II
The law is so careful of the rights of
citizens. that 1t will not permit a II
to plead guilty to this crime of murc
so that, even after he had conceded
guilt in this case, it was incumbent VI
the court to insist that the trial sho
proceed and that the people should est
llsh beyond reasonable doubt that
defendant was guilty of the crime char
against him.
There are in our country individu
not, / hope In very large numbers, m sr
we know they are scattered all over
country. who think in case like TINS
even in charges of much less degree
Is entirely proper that the case shono
disposed of by lynch or mob law. we
hardly take up a paper without we le
that in some part of this free and II
pendent country some man has peen n
dered on the suspicion or belief that
was guilty of some crime. This stat
things does not exist in our commui
but 1t does in some parts OF our 81
as every intelligent man knows
1t Is charged here that our client Is
anarchist, man who does not bel
In any law or in any form of governm
And there are, so We are told, othef
dividuals who entertain that opinion
feel that such doctrines are danger
are criminal, are doctrines that Will
vert our government in time If they
allowed to prevail.
Gentlemen of the jury, while be
firmly in that. I do not believe 1t ere
danger to this court equal to the
lief becoming so common. that men
are charged with crime shall not be
mitted to go through the form of
In court of justice, that lynch law
take the place of the calm and digr
administration of the law by our CO
of Justice.
When that doctrine becomes sufiic
prevalent in this country, II 1t ever
our institutions will be set aside ana
.hrown, and If we are not misinform
TO the state of mind of some peop
some parts OF the country, the time Is
approaching when men charged
crime will not be permitted to come
court and submit to a calm and dig
rial. but will be strung up to tr'
the bare susnicion that some one may