Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1904-07-21

In the present instance he declared
that Dunstan BurbagS should never
have been placed in the dock. 1t was
not in the nature of the man standing
for trial. young i'm years and expert
ence. humane in disposition and of
biameiess character TO take the life of
another man. The deceased had won
the prisoners money. but neither before
nor after was there ~ shred of evidence
to show any ill feeling between them;
on the contrary, they had always SEEM
ed good friends.
Would any man among the jury stain
his sould With blood. incur a haunting
remorse. risk his liberty and life that
he might get buck an O U: The pris-
oner was a man of heart and feelings
and conscience like themselves, but was
more unfortunate than amy one of
them because suspicion had stealthiy
wound itself round him. caught him i'm
its tolls, and threatened to destroy
him. For this he deserved their sym
pathy.
But IT must he remembered that when
the coroner's jury returned their YER
dict he was practically undefended his
name had been banded about by an
irresponsible press while he Was being
sought for. and his condemnation, ON
ing to various causes. had been n fore
gone conclusion.
Now. the facts OF the case werc OK
tremely simple, and whom justly stated
undeniabiy proved his innocence. He
had lost money mt cards and used
phrases already unduly dwelt ON. show
ing that he depored his foolishness.
Immediately aftcrWard he went up
stairs with the deceased. n kindly
hearted. wealthy young fellow. who in
vited him to his room, where he gave
him back the ! Us the prisoner had
signed. The latter took them to his
own apartment, where he burned them.
Owing to disappointment received the
previous evening, he left knowlesworth
Hall early next morning. but instead of
going to London as he had intended and
house. miles from the nearest post
town, where newspapers were SLOW TO
reach.
Here he remained, without striving TO
conceal himself, until he read of the
murder and was Mortified To see that
suspicion had attached itself To him.
when he AT once gave himself up. The
motive of every act of his could be cX-
planned, and there was not an atom of
direct evidence to connect him with this
crime
t'ircumstantial evidence had before
now led to deplorable mistakes. Even
within the past few years there We're
Striking examples OF men condemned 10
death or penal servitude for crimes of
which they We're subsequently proved
innocent.
Many cases could be cited where jur-
ors, relying on circumstantal evidence,
wronged beyond repair the unfortunate
men they had found guilty: but he felt
sure that no such deplorable blundcr
would be made here, where every cir
cumstance had been accounted for To
-. XV.,
Finally, he stated that there was no
case Whatsoever upon which TO convict
the prisoner whom their judgment and
conscience would tell them was entitled
to be discharged as an Innocent man.
The profound silence succeeding this
speech was interrupted by the deep.
grave voice of the judge. who with slow
delil,eration began 10 sum up and bal
ance the sn@ent points of the evidence
for and "A; ~ the prisoner: III The
conclusion of which he left the fateful
issue in the hands OF the jury.