The Mankato free press., 1905-08-04
Judge Cray's Charge.

Judge Cray addressed the jury as fol
lows:
This case has commanded your ear
nest attention for every moment dur
ing its hearing. thus far, and it demands
your most careful attention and consid,
Grafton until its final close 1t is quito
impossible to be unmindful of the fact
that this case has excited more than us
ual public interest, and is considered by
very many good people as a case of
great public concern, and to such an eX-
tent has this feeling extended, that the
bounds of propriety have been far over
stepned, and the even handed admins
tration of justice in its due course, ir
the courts of law, has been to some eX
tent hampered and delayed.
Ripplcs of public sentiment have beer
augmented into monster waves of pub
lie feeling intended to beat down all OPP
position. and to carry everything before
them, without regard to the due forms
of law.
This condition of the public mind au
gurs no good to the public welfare, and
should be greatly deplored by all good
people.
Under such conditions as these il
should be forever understood, that the
courts of this country are competent t.
bring to justice the law breaker anG
are a safe refuge for the innocent.
1t should be always known, and al
all times demonstrated, that the courts
of this country will stand as a rocl
capped wall of adamant, against which
huge billows of public prejudice ma,
beat and thunder, only to fall back in
utter defeat and that distorted pub
lie sentiment, and infamed public pas
sion, have no place alongside the coo
and dispassionate administration of JUS
tice in the courts of law, and are net
at all potent factors in reaching right
results.
1t should not be forgotten that the
goddess of Justice is blind to every
thing save only law. and evidence.
A part of the general scheme of make
up OF our courts are its juries, vital
factor in the administration of JUS
ticc, and you, the iruy in this most i'm
portant case, should not allow your
selves to be swerved one hairs breadth
from a straight line, either by popular
clamor, public sentiment, or human sym
pathy.
Be governed in your actions by you
own conscientious convictions, as to
what is right, and what is wrong, and
if YOU err, the fault is not with you
Take with you to your jury room
these injunctions, and do your duty
thoughtfully and honestly, with an
eye only to the due administration of
the law, and let the consequences be
what they may.
The defendant, George r. Koch. is on
trial before you charged in an indict
ment by grand jury with the crime of
murder in the first degree.
All questions of fact in the case are
for the jury to consider and determine.
but the law applicable to such facts will
be given to you by the court, and you
are required to abide thereby and com
ply Herewith, and if the court shall
charge you that if you find certain
state of facts to exist, your verdict
should be one way, but if you do not
find such state of facts to exist, your
verdict should be another way, YOU
should carefully comply with such
charge of the court, to the end that
justice may be properly administered.
AT the outset, in this, as in all other
criminal cases, the defendant is pre-
sumed to be innocent of the offense with
which he is charged, Tor any other pub