Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-09-26
The Czoleosz Trial.

sassin Of President Mckinley was, as
anticipated. a brief one. The prisoner,
however. was accorded all his legal
rights. The jury acted very promptly
in returning a verdict Of murder in the
first degree. and the court will not
delay in imposing the dcath penalty.
ex-Judgos Lewis and Titus We're not
pleased with their assignment for the
defense; but they have borne them
selves under the circumstances in q
manner which will entitlc them to the
respect of the American people. 1t is
fortunate indeed that justice has
moved so expeditiously in this case.
The laws delay" has always been
the chief stimulus and excuse 70!
mob violence. The public was in m
mood to tolerate repetition of the tor
tuous and snail like proceedings that
characterized the trial of Guitcatl
They felt that punishment in tbs case
to be morally effective must be
prompt. and they are. therefore. graft
fled al the outcome of the trial. There
is room for a vast reform in the trial
OF murder cases in this country. and
public sentiment is fast assuming
definite shape on the subject. The
people are rapidly approaching the
point where they will not only demand
a change in the old proccdure-with
its various delays and abominations-
but they will insist on having it. The
increasing resort to lynch law is
merely an expression of public con-
tempt for existing legal processes. and
tho country has reason to view the
growing proportions of this spirit
with alarm. In his remarks at the
that the opponents of lynch law were
more dangerous 20 a community than
the anarchists themselves: but mob
rule is nothing more or less than
anarchy.
,|ot long ago SO strong paper as
the Atlanta Constitution, discussing
lynching in the South gave the short
comings of the established courts o.
justice as one of the potent reasons
why communities were prone. in times
of great provocation. to take the
law into their own hands. 1t had no
excuse for mob violence. 1t con-
demned lynching in NEST vigorous
terms. and yet it felt constrained to
give certain facts bearing upon the
matter. which would enable the public
especially at the North to appreciate
more clearly the situation. and be
more just in its conclusions. Chief
among these was long list of cases
where justice had most palpably
miscarried in the established courts OF
justice. 1t was a list to make the sin
cere upholder of law and order sick
ct heart, and to remove his wonder
at the growing frequency with which
the community itself acting as a mob
assumed the combined functions OF
court and executioner. We W. moi
take space at this time to review any
of the cases above referred to; but
they were of "A character to make the
blood Of every true lover Of justice boi
with Indignation.
One of the greatest incentives Il
mob rule. and in fact to all forms ol
anarchy Will be sought and found il
perverted justice. More dangerous t.
a community than a Herr Nest or al
Emma Goldman. is a judge who. for
getting his solemn obligations to tn,
community he is supposed to serve
deals with crime and with criminals ii
4 spirit of mawlish s-ntimentality
which invests the enemies of societ,
with a glamor Of romance. and screen,
them in whole OF in part, from tn
just consequences of their offences
The Tammany tiger is bad enough
but he is not to be compared with ;
judicial pussy.
What must be done then to insur,
popular respect for law AMI order il
this great country Of ours? First o
al, such reform in the existin.
methods of legal procedure as will in
sure us such trials as were accorde,
CZolgosz. The existing forms of Law
in their application to criminal cases
nave accumulated altogether too man,
Whiskers. They are sadly in need of
shave, and until it is given them Their
appears to be little reason to hone TO
any Improvement in the popular ten
dency to resort to mob violence-a ten
dercy which it must be admitted is as
stunning alarming proportions.
The press of the country has strus
fled constantly and fearlessly for tn
suppr"-sion of lynch law. In this
has been strongly supported by mem
bers of the clergy. We have the pre
Iouhdest admiration for those Souther
newspapers and Christian ministe,