The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-05-14


cumstances that the sentence is unjust
and unfair.
1t is now said that the M att Hunter
tragedy, and episode is closed. Would
to God that it was the case, but 1T is
not so. The defense appeals to the SUI
preme court and asks transcript at the
expense of the county. They hope to
find some miserable little technicality,
They might we'll be satisfied and so end
this matter, for through the sentence of
the judge they have more than half
won their cease and defeated justice.
The judge has at the last robbed justice
of her glorious crown which had been
won for her after a bitter and wholly
needless contest.
AS to the tragedy, which has been
most damnable incident in Ringgold
county history and has brought fearful
cost to the Taxpayers, decentralization
to her people and burning shame aud
disgrace to the county and has at last
ended in farcical tiasco sentence from
the presiding judge.
The costly prosecution has been out
ragged. The county has been in.
suited. An attorney for Hunter is
trotting around the streets of Mt. Ayr,
claiming that Hunter is an injured
martyr and that his attorneys who fol.
lowed him to the gates of the peniten.
tiary will have him out of the pen and
walking our streets in less than five
years.
1t is fact that his attorneys are
throwing boquets of sweet smelling
flowers after him and following him to
the prison gates with assurances that he
will soon be pardoned and made free
man by some sentimental board or gov
ernor
1t is probable, judging the future by
the past. Why not expect it? There is
no new thing under the sun. So s'jus-
tice has fallen in the streets and equity
cannot enter" Justice stands and
weeps between the court house porch
and the altar.
And now let us recapitulate. The
people of Rlnggold county gained YER.
dict for murder in the second degree in
The trial of February, 1902, after the
jury had deliberated for thirty. six hours.
Their names are as follows: T. A. Stew.
enson, James Guthrie, ]. L. Dryer, Ed
Dsybert, Fred Clifford, E. r. Pine, g. 1,
Mobiles. H. D. Dinkle, VIM. Whistler
=. II. Fosmire, E. G. Nickle and p. Moi.
fatt. Eight Of these gentlemen-a ma
Jorlty-were IN favor of verdict of first
degree murder and capital punishment.
They are the best citizens Of the county.
Three favored the second degree and q
life sentence. They are good men, and
no one called their motives into uues.
ton. One Of them, 6. l. Mobiles, favored
acqulttal. But few reflected on his mo.
tives, but simply supposed he intended
to bring the other jurymea to second
degree murder or produce disagree.
ment. 4
That jury then was ready for murder
in the first degree and the death pen
atty. 1t was therefore q compromise
verdict, and the judge preached little
sermon to the jury and sentenced the
prisoner for life. All the virtuous peo.
Pile Of the community said that he did
right, and no fault was found with the
sentence,
The county here rested satisfied and
accepted the sentence as partial expia.
ton for tho murderous transeression.
The sentence Was strengthened and
affirmed and confirmed by the Clarke
county jury in the late trial at Osceola,
and the same sentence was expected.
No one who had justice at heart expect.
ed the judge to go back on himself and
the honor Of Ringgold county. A life
sentence had been fairly earned and
WAS deserved. A Judge is the agent of
justice and not Of mercy. The sentence
had cost the county directly and indi.
rectly not less than $4,000. No one
worth considering; none but the pimps
and gamblers expected anything but q
life sentence.
That the sentence has been modified
after the case has been upheld and
strengthened by unimpeached and un.
impeachable evidence and the verdict Of
q good Clarke county jury in the face Of
a regardless opposition is to the best
people Of Ringgold county surprise
and humiliation. They cannot bslieve
but that there is screw loose some.
where. In a word these honorable peo-
pie Of Ringgold do not want the twenty.
five year sentence reduced as it will be
( by so-called good behavior technicali-
ties to about thirteen years. 1t is a
complete give away. It is not Justice.
q. is parody on that holy word and
Iis mock justice. 1t is a shameful com