The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-03-19
JOHN K. MURRELL FUGITIVE
MAY BE EN- ROUTE TO MEXICO.
COntinued Eroun Paue one.

/ 'oaie' YIN dSheu Ill1I tne tiSs De ldlt
over until 10 o'clock this morning. and III,
/ witnesses and jurors excused until thA
hour. which Judge Douglas ordered.
FIRST ADD MURREI.i.
| MIR. FOLK SAYS HE
| - NOT SURPRISED.
Circuit Attorney Folk. although somewhat
disappointed at the failure OF MurrcIl I,
| appear for trial. Is not at all disconc,r,,,
| by the result. He il convinced by th, ac.
| tion of the defendant that he has the
| corrupiionisis un the run and on, OF his ap.
| parent temporary defeat has been able 1,
CLEAN more comfort than the friends OF the
indicted men.
hhe WAS not prepared for the des-
perate measure TO which the defendant has
resorted." he said. Il must confess that
am not altogether surprised. The cas-.
against Mnrreil Is clear and convincing, and
The esiimony that We are prepared To offer
Is 5" overwhelming that there ia Lot the
slightest doubt of conviction before An i'm.
partial jury. Murreli and his friends real
ize this. and they used every legal resort
10 stave OFF the trial as long as possible
knowing that the Testimony which would be
brought out would be damaging TO the rep
utations and interests of others even II il
could not be used as evidence against other
men under Indictment.
Il anticipated some such result as this
when the Grand Jury returned the indic,-
inent. The Grand Jury suggested that
MurrelTs bond be fixed at Si5.o0 owing "a
the character OF the offense and the nature
or the evidence against him. / placed the
figure at 5000. when L asked Judge Horatiu
D. Wood to fix the amount OF the bond.
but Judge Wood considered that amount
in,
amount actually required for bonds for an
onense OF that character Is 5000 Fol-
lowing the usual practice he placed It at
that figure. Ii Was his idea that II bond
was fixed at sooeoo the accused could sp-
peal 10 the Supreme Court that the bond
was excessive and have It reduced.
An ILLUSTRATION OF
FAULTY BOND SYSTEM.
This case illustrates the faulty bond
system that prevails in this State. The bond
Is intended TO guarantee that the defendant
Will be in court to answer the charge The
forfeiture Of the bond is the penalty for
failure 10 appear. II is my contention that
the bond in every case should he not only
commensurate with the enormity of the of
fense. but should be determined by the
financial condition OF the person under
Indictment Thus IL a man IL without
means a bond of $500 might be considered
excessive. Judging by his ability to provide
IT. Again. in the case of a man Of wealth
accused of the same charge a $500 bond
would not be large enough to prevent his
forfeitfng. il If his personal interests
prompted him TO jump. The statutory pro-
visions governing this matter OF bonds
should be revised and l have been MAX
ing every effort to have this done and hope
to be successful shortly.
THE law, in its endeavor to throw safe
guards around the accused. has made the
bond system so that In few instances can
the penalty of the bond be collected.
In most cases when the defendant IL
brought back to stand trial after jumping
his bond the bond forfeiture is set aside,
as the statute allows the court to do in
such instances Such will not be the case
this time il I can help It. Every cent OF
this bond shall be paid into court unless.
owing TO the laws delay. the bondsman
gets nd OF all liis property before execu-
ton can be issued. This usually happens
THE bond is not intended 10 be used par
TALLY or wholly in defraying expenses of
bringing the defendant back. The proceeds
of the bond. If collected. go to the School
Board. 1t is a penalty against the defend
ant and bondsman. The failure of Murrell
to appear makes him fugitive from JUS
tice and the police Of the country will be
placed on his trail. He will be captured
and made to stand trial
I'm the enforcement of a bond the system
is ridiculously faulty. The court has ALREADY
declared the bond forfeited. He has or
dered a capias to issue. A scire-facias has
oeen ordered This Is to cause the bonds
man 10 appear In court and show cause
Ms ne snouiu not pay 'he oohd ne mas
~, 'nS mikes ueoa'aoie ground
~. ".' =. sueu IN .he courts Ihen IN
ma, ~. ,nnanIa, ., ,l,I. S,.i' a.'.A. i.
,hra. -, 80, -. -.
80, G, ep'' II A. se''ie'
,.-,. "ea. '"e
Low amnI. ,,,,a .a ..a an,',, .i'is VIII al
vav h,, nron.r,,. ,,, ,h,,, a,a;n o..
,o, ,,,5s-,,.5 ,,, ,,,,,,.,.,
results from the s.nt,msntal .nx,e,r -, n,,r
lawmakers TO pro,sc, tho occus.,, rbs,. o..
called safeguards In reality they ars b,--
riers I'm the vav or iustics md f,s,.- g.
spirit of mob yioIspca I'm rho ,sonrs |
IF MurreIl IS located In anv State q, ,ba
Union. or I'm any country q, .,r,h bayir,
treaty with the J-pi,ad S,.,es ,,,on,,ny or
tradition for the crime with which ba "a
charged. he will ha .rrastsd and h,oush,
back for trial. I do NOT beIievs he can Ana
4 safe refuge in Cap.d, mr. N.x,co rh.a
a man brouph. h,cr fran, usx;oo so,,x, IT,