The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1907-05-31
AH--speaI privileges
LyinG witness 81 our Courts.

There is no denying that the human
race is prone TO lying, that the most of
as viii lie at one time or another, and
that many of as tell little white lies"
that never amount to much either in in
jury or good. But Why the truth would
not do better at any and all times none
can tell.
But is it so with the deliberate liar.
the liar, who, IL necessary, would take
the life of a human belly by lying?
Such q liar as this is q seourge TO the
community in which he lives, and, II the
opinion Of the great majority of those
persons who have attended the prelim-
mary eXamation Of Thomas w. Troy.
for the killing of George G. Newcomb,
before County Judge Heyser during the
past several days. is to be entertained
there are some of this calibre of liars
IN our midst-liars who would by their
lying sacrifice ahuman life
And these were state witnesses.
Witnesses. who, above ell others.
should tell the truth, the whole truth
and nothing but the truth II is not
the purpose of the State or Of it's laws
that an innocent man shall be punished.
II Is the aim of the law to punish the
guilty and vindicate the innocent. The
State SHOULD be impartial unbiased,
and above all strictly fair TO an accus-
ed, and in this comes the old and well
established law Ito the prisoner shall
be given the benefit Of the doubt"
Mind you, the Metropolis Is basing
its opinion upon the opinion Of those
who have followed the hearing of the
case against Mr.. Troy. The crime
with which he is accused is one of the
most deplorable in the annals Of Dade
county. The State is investigating it
for the purpose of determining weather
the accused shall be indicated by dis
charge or held for a further trial.
Simply this and nothing more. The
truth Injuries no one, and why the wit
nesses for the State should be allowed
and seemingly encouraged to lie in the
manner in which they are accused of
doing, is mystery
Would II not have been to the credit
Of the attorneys for the State and
judge presiding TO force these witnesses
to tell the truth?
Would they have lost prestige by so
doing? Would they not, as a matter
of fact, have elevated themselves IN
public opinion by conducting a fair
and impartial trial? Then why should
the witnesses Lief IL may be that the
dead man was a personal friend. Gr-
anting this TO be the case, would they
not have shown their friendship by
coming into court and telling the whole
truth and nothing but the TRUTH
That would have been true friend
ship to the deceased and justice to the
living.
When a witness tells the truth there
is no possibility of a lawyer tanglng
him up on cross examination. But
according TO opinion such has not been
the case in the Troy hearing. Some Of
the State witnesses have been badly
mixed up and made to correct them
selves by the attorneys for the de-
Tense. Upon this fact is based the
charge that they perjured themselves.
If the accused committee a foul and
murder the Metropolis
would be the first one to condemn him
and urge that he pay the full penalty
of his crime, but Il does not hold any
more than does the public that man
should be punished upon perjured testi-
mony, and Il firmly believes that every
witness In this or any other case who
deliberately swears falsely should be
punished How the court will pass
upon the testimony before him re-
uainR 10 he aaan 49, Miami MetropOlia