The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-20
TIE BnEATHITr COUNTY TRAGEDY

/ DltEA WIN
The surprise is not that there was a
mistrial in the case of the state
against Jett and White-the celebrated
| Breathitt county, Kentucky, case-but
| quittaL The friends of the accused
felt certain that majority of the
| jurors would be for acquittal If, in
deed a verdict of acquittal were not
| rendered
There is no doubt that the evidence
was direct and strong against the ac-
cused parties. One witness-a wit
ness of unquestioned respectability and
ntelligence-testified positively that
he saw one Of the defendants shoot
Lawyer Marcum. The defense under
took 20 show that this witness could
not have seen the man who did the
shooting. and also to prove that the
defendants were not in the Court
House when the shooting occurred.
The defense was lame. 1t is doubt
full if any considerable number of
those who were at the Court House
the guilt of Jett.
There will be another trial, but in
another county and in another judicial
district In view of the fact that the
evidence was strong enough to con-
vince eleven of the jurors of the guilt of
the accused, the chances are that in
another county, in which the in
f1uences in favor of the accused men
Will be far less than they were in
Breathdtt county, a verdict of guilty
will be secured.
1t will be a good thing for the noun
tain section of Kentcuky if such a
verdict is secured. AT present there
is little or no fear of conviction for
murder or attempt at murder in some
of the mountain counties of Kentucky.
II is an unusual thing for a jury to
convict of murder in Brea thitt county.
Pretty nearly everybody in that county
believes that a man has a right to
take the law into his own hands when
he is, or thinks he is, the victim of a
personal injury.
There is more crime of the violent
kind in the mountain section of Ken>
lucky than in all of the rest of the
state, and it is safe to say that that
kind of crime is less often punished
there than anywhere else in the state.
If missionaries were hunting for field
in which vast amount of good might
be done, they could find it in the
mountain counties of Kentucky. The
people there have many good qualities,
but they have no hesitation whatever
in committing murder.
If the presiding Judge in the trial
of Jett and White. had displayed more
backbone a verdict of guilty might
have been secured. He wasn't lacking
in courage or ability, but he was
afraid to invite the hostility of the
faction-a powerful faction-that was
trying to bring about the acQuittal of
Jett and White. Being a candidate
for reelection he did not want to gain
the ill-will of any faction. Hence, he
permitted things during the trial
which, in all probability he wouldn't
have permitted under other circurn-
stances.
Doubtless there will now be a fight
for delay. with the hope that some
means will be found to secure the ac-
quittal of the accused men. If the
state, however, wants to strike a dead
ly blow at assassination in it's noun |
tain counties 1t will insist upon an
immediate trial. If the accused men
are found guilty and punished il will |
be realized that murder cannot be
committed with impunity in those
counties, and if they are acquitted it
will be realized that the state is in |
earnest in its efforts to put a stop to |
crimes of violence.