The leader., 1902-05-07

things never stand still. If we don't
get little worse. If we don't go
forward, gentlemen, we go backward;
so | say, there are great many smaller
offenses which it will be your duty to
investigate and look into. While you
have not got great many large crimes
to investigate, perhaps there are a
good many smaller ones, and while
we are pretty good, gentlemen, we can
be a good deal better. The people
look to you to see that that state of
affairs is brought about.
We have pretty we'll exterminated
the blind tiger, gentlemen. In this
county Il believe it is the only one in
the State that l know Oft is the
only one in the district), we have a
new species. | suppose you might
call it a blind tigress, because the
women have gotten to selling whisky
instead of the men; but there are only
a few of them. Let us see if we can not
eradicate them root and branch.
don't know anything more abominable
than person who peddles whisky and
sells whisky In open violation of the
law.
There is one thing, gentlemen, that
has become alarming in some portions
of the State, and that is the question
of perjury. You will have good deal
of that, gentlemen, before you ad
journ. You will find men come before
you whom you think ought to tell the
truth, who you are persuaded on ac-
count of the surroundings know a
good deal more than they seem dis
posed to tell, and you will find others
who will wilfully lie about the facts
within their own knowledge. This is
perjury, gentlemen. would like to
make few examples along that line,
and so il any case comes before you
where you are perfectly satisfied the
man has sworn falsely to some ma
terial fact, it will be your duty to in
dict this party for perjury.
l want you, gentlemen-l have al
ways called your attention to that
here because | regard it as exceedingly
important-to look into the subject of
carrying concealed weapons. Now
the constitution permits every man
to bear arms, but he must bear them
in a certain way. He must bear them
openly. He must not have them con-
cealed. You put a pistol on a man
he has his pistol handy and he is very
apt, especially If he has been drinking
some blind tiger whisky, to commit
some crime. Almost every man will
do on the impulse of the moment
ten minutes afterwards. Now the
legislature, in it's wisdom, has been
constantly increasing the penalty on
oor ntnn i
made it higher and higher all of the
adage, gentlemen, that an ounce Of
prevention is worth pound of care.
Ii you take away weapon from
man at the moment when he thought
he needed it, little reflection after
wards would cause him to refrain
from the crime that he otherwise
would commit if he had the pistol on
him; so 1 say, look into it. Some of
our young men seem to regard it as q
big thing; he is man, and is Sorter
cock of the walk If he has a pistol he
can exhibit on all occasions; and some
of our colored brethren seem to think
when they 60 to a religious festival, or
go to a picnic or around a crap game
that they are not properly equipped
unless they have a pistol or razor or
something of that kind on them.
/ say want you to look into that be-
cause ! regard it as cause of more
crime than any other. thing. Present
them, gentlemen. 1t may be the son
of your neighbor. it may be your
neighbor himself; if may be particu-
lar friend. You are not here to pro-
tect others; you are here to yindicate
the law. You are sworn to do it. You
are as much responsible for the atten-
tion to the duties of your office as the
court on the bench.