The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-03-07
AMusEMENTs FOR TODAY.
pREJupeINe A CASE.

- SNS6s
What we like most about these
american" patriots is their calm, dis
passionate view of things, their lofty
regard for the proprieties, their I'M
wavering advocacy of the public inter-
est and their never-failing fairness and
accuracy of statement.
For instance, a somewhat celebrated
case is. on trial in this city in which the
American" chief of police is charged
with having eonspired to permit
eeterie of def bunco-steerers to relieve
tourists of their surplus funds undis-
turbed by fear of the police. The evil
denee has been heard and the argu-
ments were made yesterday. During
the tendency of the trial common re-
gard for the dignity of the court and
the ethics Of common sense would call
for no comment that might prejudice
the public or the judge. But while the
trial was still in progress. a club which
calls itself American" held a meeting
and discussed the case for publication.
Not only did the discussion approach
perilously near contempt of court, but
il violated all the proprieties of the sit
uation.
An instance in point is furnished by
the remarks of George Hancock of the
city auditors office. who. presided in
the absence of the president of
the club. Mr.. Hancock made what
the southern orators would call
an i,,na eofonad ,laa tsT aano,,ro..
this conspiracy against an officer OF
this club tSheets) and an honorable
gentleman" said Mr.. Hancock. 81 have
known George Sheets for seventeen
years. and know him to be an honor
able man. He has been and is the best
chief of police Salt Lake has ever had.
Gentlemen of the club. beseech you
TO withhold Judgment in this case I'M
til you have heard all of the evidence
and know all of the facts
Observe the phrase withhold judg--
ment," following Immediately the dec
laration. always impassioned, that
Sheets is an honest and honorable man.
Note the charge that the prosecution Of
Saeets is conspiracy although it is
in charge of a duly elected official of
the people acting in duly constituted
court which may be expected to pass
fairly upon the innocence or guilt of
Sheets. That is a suspension Of judg-
ment amounting almost to execution
of it. as genuine a case of contempt
for a court as one could find in a long
day's journey.
1t may be true that Sheets is the best
chief Of police Salt Lake ever had.
though we are not willing to concede
that the other chiefs were so bad as all
that. It may be true that Sheets is as
innocent as a milk-white lamb of the
charge against him. But even if these
things are as true as Mr.. Hancock
would have us believe. there seems to
be no occasion for Mysteries about it.
AS a matter of fact. if Sheets is so
perfectly innocent he ought to be glad
OF the chance TO prove il in court and
have it settled for all time: and his
friends ought to be content with the
opportunity without batting so pit
eousiy about 1t.
SO
Very few cases in this city have Civ
en- rise to so much improbable discus
sion in and out of the press; none has
ever been the subject Of so much fool
ISL talk. Sheets foes have convicted
him q hundred times during the hear
ing. and his friends have acquitted him
so vociferously one wonders if he will
not be canonized for saint by Easter
Meanwhile the folks who are neither
friends nor foes have grown sick and
tired of the effort on both sides to
PREJUDICE the evidence.
All that Sheets and his American"
friends need ask is a fair hearing.
which he is getting in court, and de-
cision On the merits of the case. which
he win get at the proper time Mean
while they can serve his cause and
theirs best by keeping Just as still as
they possibly can and letting the court
and lawyers do the talking.