Arizona republican., 1903-04-10
Let the Punishment Be Swift.


There appears to be no reason to
doubt that Ranteria and Hidalgo, the
prisoners now in Jail at Prescott. are
the men who murdered Charles Cod
dard and Frank Cooke, and it is to De
hoped that the trial will be speedy ana
the punishment swift. The murder
which was committed several weeks
ago, was one of the most atrocious IN
the history of Arizona crime. Without
the slightest provocation, the mur-
derers stepped into the lonely noun
tain cabin and butchered the two de-
ferseless men while the horror-stricken
family looked on. Never was a murder
more flagrantly for the mere purpose
of satisfying a wanton lust to kill. The
sheriffs of Yavapai and Maricopl
counties have earned the gratitude OF
the public by the intelligent and indus
trious manner in which the murderer,
were followed until captured, and it is
highly desirable that all of the laws
machinery may operate with the same
celebrity in determining whether the
prisoners are guilty and, if their guilt
be established, in hanging them.
For criminals of the class to which
Ranteria and Hidalgo belong, the only
punishment which carries any terrors
is certain, quick death. Imprisonment
in the penitentiary at Yuma, without
work, and with plenty of good food,
is a picnic. And even the gallows is
regarded with contempt when associ-
ated only with the distant future. The
Ranterias and the Hid@lgos do not per-
nit the punishments OF next year to
worry them. Swift, inevitable anG:
merciless infection of the extreme pen
alties alone will restrain such men
from crime. For these reasons tn.
laws delays act as a premium on crime
where criminals of this class are con-
cerned
The Ranterias and the Hidalgos know
that if they are apprehended for their
crimes there is never lack of lawyers
to interpose a multitude of obstacles
to the enforcement of the laws PEN
alties. Criminals of the most ignorant
the "abogados" - the lawyers - can
always find a way to postpone the day
of punishment. Some time, perhaps,
the evil day will arrive, but-'quien
sabe?"-the wheel Of good luck may
continue turning indefinitely. In this
territory, as throughout the country,
criminals have learned that the laws
have been framed quite as much for
their protection as for the protection OF
the public. The refinements and dis
tinctions necessary for court and prose-
cutor to observe from the moment the
Indictment is drawn until the jury rem
ders its verdict are SO numerous that
they require the utmost vigilance if
officials would not see the law-breaker
go free. And after conviction, the
troubles of the prosecutor, rather than
the convict, begin. Cunningly framed
statutes and the rules of procedure
established by a century of lease law
provide scores of grounds for appeal.
If the trial judge, guided by common
sense and a determination to see justice
NOiiN, mas 1oiiSu " ODoSI VIC al liIe
niceties and technicalities of fine-spun
law, he must sorrowfully see the work
of the court, prosecutor and jury on
behalf of justice come to naught in
order that the sacred precedents and
the benevolent hair-splittings of the
law shall not be ignored. The criminal
classes have learned all this in a gen.
eral way, and following their theory
that sufficient unto the day is the evil
thereof, they are not restrained from
crime by fear of the laws slow hand.
In the case of R2nteria and Hidalgo
it cannot be expected that the trial
court will depart from the procedure
prescribed by statute and precedent.
but the ends of justice will be furth-
cred, and other murderers will be
taught a lesson, if healthy public
opinion at Prescott shall subdue the
eager desire of defending lawyers 20
put the law in contempt by saving the
necks of these assassins.