The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-05-01
THURSDAY, May |, 1902
ROBERTSON VERDICT AND SENTENCE

Now that the trial of the Robertson
case is ended, the verdict rendered and
senteuce pronounced, the subject may
he more critically reviewed 10y the ISL
AMBER than would have been wise,
under the conditions existing in this
county, before the commencement of
or during the trial. The crime was
committed on the 18th day of Febru-
AIRY. On the 10th the ISLANDER pub
lished what it then said it had "everv
reason To believe ~ Il plain, unvar-
ushed tae' Of the terrible crime" at
the same time stating that it had mo
disposition to PREJUDICE the case or en-
barrass either the prosecution or the
defense 10y exploiting mere theories or
INDUCING i'm irrelevant comment" 1t
merely stated that "an atrocious crime
has been committed for Which there
seems not to have been the least sha
dow of provocalon," and expressed
the opinion that 'if the facts alleged
are legally established at the trial the
demands of justice will admit of but
one result" The following week the
verdict of .he coroncr's jury was pub
lished aud brief report of the evi.
dence at the preliminary examination,
which corroboraied in every essential
detail the report of the tragedy con
tanned in the preceding issue. A letter
was also published from Robertson in
which he detailed somewhat ciicum-
stantally his movements OH the day OF
the shooting up to the time of his meet
Ing aud encounter with Hand in the
highway ut the Moore place.
Having ia view at the time tile posi-
BILE bearing that the published reports
and comments might have upon OU-
tanning jury and fair and impartial
trial, the editor was particularly care
ful not to transs ress the proper bounds
of legitimate news, and that he did moi
not do SO the attorneys on both sides oil,
the case have mort frankly and courte-
ously admitted. Nevertheless, whei.
the task of getting jury was under.
taken it was found that large proper
ton of the talesmen called had foi med
opinions from having read the ISL
ANDER that it would take evidence a.
remove" aud one at least, of the
Jurors excused "for cause" was frank
enough TO say that it would take "lots
of it,"
The fact of the matter is that no in =
telligent man can read what purports
10 bea truthful account of any crime
without forming some idea about it. 1t
may be II strong opinion or u mere inn
impression, but whether it is the one
lakes such a strong hold upon the
mind as to prevent the person having
itlfrom forming Il just Judgment as to the
weight OF contrary evidence produced
upon the witness stand. 1t would be
difficult to obtain in this county, or
any other, more impartial jurors than
some of the men who were pereniptori-
~ excused by kobertson's counsel after
having been passed for cause" by the
states attorney.
There was never at any time FROM
the day of the tragedy the least reason
for believing that the defendant could
not obtain perfectly fair and impair
tial trial in this county. There was
absolutely nothing TO sustain the mo-
ton for change of venue. The affi-
davit of V. w. Taylor, Of WLatcom, In
support ~ Of 1t was a flimsier fabric
even than his hobgoblin testimony on
the question OF Robertson's saulty. If
the insanity plea could have been sus-
lained 1t would, under The devisions Of