The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-04-22

saloons in our town; but most Of you
Jurors, attorneys and even you judge.
consented and aided the legalized sa-
loon to be re-established In our
midst" ftJti
All was excitement In the court
room, the judge made a motion as "
TO stop any more charges from the
prisoner, but the speaker hastily said:
mo. no, your honor, do not close my
lips, / am nearly through and these
are the last words I may ever utter on
earth began my downward career
at legalized saloon, protected by the
laws of our state, which has annual
ly got it's snare Of the blood money,
taken from the poor saloon victims.
After the state made me drunkard
and murderer, | am now brought be-
fore you, as the bar of justice; the
same law making power that legalized
the saloon has established this court,
and now you propose to conduct me to
the place of execution. But Judge, We
shall all appear before another bar
the Judgment bar of God, and there
you. who have legaliZed the liquor
traffic, will have to appear with me.
Think you that the just judge will
hold me, the poor, weak, helpless VIC
tim of your legalized saloon, alone
responsible for the murder of my wife?
Nay, nay, l in my drunken, frenzied
condition, have murdered one, but you
by your voice and ballots have wilfully
and deliberately, aided in the murder
of hundreds and thousands and the
murder mills are open today with
your consent All of you know in your
hearts that the words utter are true.
The legalized liquor traffic of this ma
ton Is responsible for nearly all of the
murders, bloodshed, riots, poverty and
woe in our otherwise happy land.
This internal traffic, is legalized
and protected by political parties,
which you sustain by your ballots.
And yet some of you have the audacity
to say that you are in favor of pro-
hibiting the liquor traffic while your
ballots go to the box with those of
the liquor sellers and the worst ele-
ments of our land in favor of pro-
tecting the saloons by high tax and
license laws.
Every year you are given an op-
portunity to vote against this soul
and body destroying business and
wash your hands of all responsibility
of the fearful results of the legalized
liquor traffic but you cling by your bal
lot to your old tax and license party
and thereby inform the government
that you are in favor of keeping up the
partnership of the legalized saloon
with the best government on earth.
You helped to legaliZe the saloon that
made me drunkard and a murderer,
and you are guilty with me before
God and man for the murder of my
wife.
"Your honor, l am done. I am now
ready to receive my sentence and to
be murdered according to the law Of
the state. You will close by asking
God to have mercy upon my soul, /
will close by asking God to
open your eyes to the truth
so that you will stop supporting any
party that will legalize this hell-born
traffic. upon any terms or at any price.
"Oh. men, l beg you pause, reflect,
heed this solemn warning and have no
further connection with any party
that proposes any law to legallze this
greatest of all evils.
Dear fellow citizens, IL such an ap.
peal will not wean you from sup
porting any tax or license party, you
are hopeless and guilty before God as
the doomed prisoner has said.