The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1907-09-06

confinement on a charge which will be
shown at the trial to be wholly ground
less, but this cruelty is to be aggravat-
ed and intensified by slurs because of
ms German origin and misfortune"
ON charge which will be shown at
the trial to be wholly groundess." Is
not that direct attempt to influence
the public mind in Boche's favor?
Slurs because of his German origin"
we invite a close reading of the ar
ticle, and would like to have anyone
point out an expressed or implied slur
upon the inan because of his German
origin. IL we were prosecuting attor-
ney we would willingly try the case
before jury composed entirely of
Germans. We agree with Mr.. Allen
and ME too" that the Germans as a
class possess high sense of Justice.
They do not uphold man In wrong.
doing because of his nationality. Their
opinions OF guilt are based upon GRIM
inality and not nationality.
Even Judge WEIGH does not escape
his share of the responsibility in the
matter by the implied arraignment of
his decision in refusing to grant Boche
his freedom under bail. In speaking
of this Mr.. Allen and ME too" say,
There can be no doubt, that under
the law, Boche Is entitled to bail"
1t is our opinion that there would
be less danger of miscarriage or JUS
tice were the attorney fees in criminal
cases fixed by statute. The protection
OF society demands a more rigid en-
forcement of our criminal laws. The
sentiments expressed by MIR. Allen and
Me too" and few others are largely
responsible for lynching such as was
enacted in our neighboring county this
week.
Our sympathy, however, goes out
rather to the widow of the murdered
man and to the family of him who
committed the deed, and not to the
guilty. Justice and not sympathy Is
his due.
Senator Allen Takes Hand.
Then Senator Allen took hand.
in this weeks Star-Mail he has three
column signed article addressed to Ed
itor Blackman of the Chronicle. He
defends Editor Donovan against the
Chronicles attacks, speaks of the
right of every man to a fair trial and
points out that the Chronicle has no
right to attempt to create prejudice
against man to be tried for his life.
This is the twenty-third man charged
with murder whom Senator Allen has
defended Senator Allen says that Ed
itor Blackman meant a personal attack
in making a malicious insinuation re-
garding attorneys fees. The senator
declares that attorneys fees, like all
other property, are protected under
the constitution and that they are no
business of an editor. The gist of the
article is pretty well expressed in this
paragraph:
Suppose that you were charged with
the commission of an offense of which
you were innocent, and were cast into
jail, and, according to custom, applied
for bail, what would you think of the
newspaper man who, when you were
in irons and in an iron cage, would,
without provocation, use his paper to
condemn you in advance of trial, and
prejudice public sentiment against you
so as to make it impossible to get an
impartial jury, and thus endeavor to
railroad you to the gallows or to the
penitentiary? Wouldn't you think
law permitting that kind of conduct
ought to be repealed, and more string
ent restrictions placed on the press?
And yet this is exactly what you are
endeavoring to do with Mr.. Boche.