The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-11-05

couldn't help It. You had done no wrong
| your conscience spoke to- vol, in no dis
approving toice, but you fetfthat in the
eyes Of society you had been cond en,ned
Isn't that true. gentlemch9 Isn't it truo?
Natural Consequence.
And haven't YOU found This to follow
upon the heels Of that condition: The
very Instant that evil is spoken Sor you.
the very instant that some malignant
tongue sends forth ruinor, whether
true or untrue. OF yolir lntsconduct,
haven't you found more people ready to
believe II than 1isbelieve 1t?
Honor bright hasn't that been the
experience OF every r1an OH this jury?
And so far as you have been able TO de-
termlne, has It not been the experience
of every man whom, YOU have had orpor-
tunities Of observing In that rcspect2 The
greatest OF all writer's Of the English
language has epitolnized that truth. I1o
has told you that the evil that men do
lives after them; the good Is OFT Inferred
with their bones, Why tile Almighty IN
His infinite, wisdon,. created U.s., as we
are told. Iii Ills owl, image, why lie
should have SO constructed the human
heart and human mind that 1t Is eyer
ready to believe evil, only God himself
in His wisdom knows.
'You may 1.-Two q. long life, dotted here
dllu llleTe anu XII HlUnE Tie llHe WIN III
BILE deeds, but, unless that life has been
lived In tho full glare OF tho public like
that Of n statesman, Or n mighty general,
or a great orator, you.die and only your
Immediate circle OF friends know of tho
beauty Of your life. But as YOU struggle
and totter along that road that leads
from tho cradle to the grave. II you slip
but once, II yo,, once stain your good
name, generations to come after you Will
remember II and speak Of i.
Ready to Believe,
And strange to say, sad to say. when
the voice Of calumny. has touched you,
when the scandalous tongue has black
ened your fair name. 1t Is not only your
enemies who profess to believe 1t. but
frequently 1t is the friend whom YOU
have nurtured in prosperity, gentlemen,
in the day OF our prosperity.
''Eut happy Is the man who, In thc
hour Of adversely. in the hour Of public
condemnation, undescrved, let it be-. who
carr reach outside or his own family and
put his hand on one man who believes
in him and who loves him and who
stands by lin. And it is that position,
gentlemen. Il is that condition that makes
tho position Of my client here pitiable5
i'll my eyes. And If you arc honest men
as believe you are, as ] know you want
10 bet will make It ptiable in your
eyes and will appeal to your sense OF
honor and your sense OF right.
fGentlemcn OF the jury, this is no ordi-
nary case. 1t Is an indictment to which
I am now addressing myself-a man
charged with wife murder--but 1t is ex-
traordinary In this, that from tho very
tino when that charge was made public
tho men who should have been the prs-
oners friends, and some of whom have
told you they were Ills friends for twenty
long years, unwilling to await the dcvcl-
oplnents OF fair trial, to harbor in their
hearts one instant that charity which Is
commended to US BY God above, deserted
him.
PUT your hand on Your hearts, gem
tlemen and tell me. you who read the
newspapers, Is there likeness OF any sort
between publications Of the public press
and the evidence YOU have heard in this
case.
Already Condemned.
Gentlemen OF the jury, yours is a hard
task, harder than that which has been
imposed upon me and my colleagues. Or
dinarily n man comes into court pre-
sumed to be innocent, but this man be-
fore trial, before the testimony was heard
In his case, was led into this court be-
fore you already condemned, and yo''
knew it. Many OF you OH that jury, In
your Integrity and candor, were fair
enough when you took the oath to say
that you had read newspaper articles, that
you had read accounts Of this transact
ton and that to great extent your minds
had been Interested and you had formed
opinions based upon these accounts. And
yet you stated, and 1 have no doubt
truthfully, that you could put these re-
ports out of your mind and give this ac-s
cused fair and impartial trial. But,
gentlemen OF the jury, guard yourselves
If ever there was n time in the lives OF
you men when you needed God Almightys
guidance and divine protection, it is to-
day. ! know that YOU hnow that the peo-
pie OF this State, never having heard the
testimony which you have heard, and de-
Gliding upon scanda!ous publicity, from one
end Of tho land to tho other and expect
ing conviction at your hands. am
not here to deal IN milk and cider talk.
You know as we'll as know, that II you
acqut this man sou will receive at the
hands OF those who. haven't heard the
evidence the fiercest criticism. and have
no doubt you very properly fear and dread
1t, But think of Your responsibility, gem
tlemen. a mans life, his reputation, his
character, the lives OF his little children
are being weighed in the balance here
You know wat 1t means.
All Had Opinions.
Ordinarily continued Mr.. Lee, q man
comes into court presumed to he limo
cent, But this man. before he was heard.
was brought into this court already con-
demned. Some Of the jurymen themselves,
in their integrity and honesty, had nd-
nnitted that they had read newspapers
and formed opinions before they had ever
come into court These OPINIONS they
llorcil to lay aside.
The attorney for the defense had no
doubt that the gentlemen spoke honestly
when they said they would put these opin-
ions aside. but he warned them that they
must be careful, that IL ever they needed
1 he frilida nnn of a dIVinc Ior0yIde Ncc I. II