Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-04-16

land will Arrest the twenty, and each
will be tried, convicted and executed
for the whole murder, and not one
twentieth of the crime.
Il have been made drunkard by
law If it had not been for the legal
lied saloons of my time, never would
have become a drunkard, my wife
would not have been murdered. l
would not be here now ready to be
hurled into eternity. Had it not been
for the human traps set out by the
consent of the government, | would
have been a sober man, an industrious
workman, q tender father, a loving
husband. But today my home is des-
troyed, my wife murdered, my little
chlldren-God bless and care for them
cast on the mercy of cold, cruel
world, while am to be murdered by
the strong arm of the State
God knows | tried to reform, but
as the open saloon was in my path,
my weak diseased will power was no
match for the fearful, consuming ap-
petite for liquor. At last / sought the
protection and care of the church OF
Jesus Christ; but at the communion
table | received at the hand cf the
pastor who sits there. and who has
testified against me in this case. the
cup that contained the same alcoholic
serpent that is found in every bar
room in the land 1t proved too much
for my poor weak humanity, and out
of that holy place I rushed to the
debauch that ended with the murder
of my wife.
For one year our town was with,
out a saloon. For one year my wife
and children were supremacy happy.
and our little home was perfect par
adise.
Il was one of those who signed re-
! monstrance against reopeniug saloons
in our town. The names of one-halr
of this jury can be found today on
the petition certifying to the good
moral character? of the rumseller, and
! falsely saying that the sale of liquor
! is necessary in our town. The prose
cutting attorney in this case was the
one who so eloquently pleaded with
! this court for the license, and the
Judge who sits on this bench, and who
asked me if | had anything to say be.
! fore sentence of death was passed
upon me, granted the license"
The impassioned words Of the prts-
Oner fell like Goals of fire upon the
hearts of those present, and many
Of the spectators and some of the law
yers were moved to tears. The Judge
made a motion as to stop the prts-
soner when the speaker hastily said 4:
NO no! your honor, do not close my
lips; | am nearly through, and they
are the last words | shall ever utter
on earth.
Il began my downward career at 4
saloon bar-legalized and protected by
the voters of this commonwealth which
has received annually a part of the
blood money from the poor, deluded
victims. After the state has made me
a drunkard and murderer | am
, taken beforse another bar-the bar Of
! Justice ply the same power that
legalized the first bar, and now the
law power will conduct me to the
place of execution and hasten my soul
into eternity. ] shall appear before
another bar-the judgment bar of God
and there you who have legaIized
the traffic will appear with me. Think
YOU the Great Judge will hold me, the
poor, weak victim of your traffic, alone
responsible for the murder Of my
wife? Nay; I in my drunken, froG'
zied, irresponsible condition, have
; murdered one, but you have deliber
ately and wilfully murdered your thou
sands, and the murder-mills are In
full operations today with your con
sent
"AIl OF you know that these words
of mine are not rawlings Of an unsound
mind, but Gods truth. The liquor
traffic of this nation is responsible for
nearly all the murders, riots, poverty
misery wretchedness and woe. II
breaks up thousands of happy homes
every year, sends the husband and
father to prison or to the gallows
and drives countless mothers and lit
tie children into the world to suffer
and die. It furnishes nearly all the
criminal business of this and every
other court. and blasts every commun
ity it touches.
"You localized the saloons that
made me 6. drunkard and murderer
and you are guilty with me for the
murder of my wife.
Your honor, | am done ! am now
ready to receive my sentence, 10 he
lied out and murdered according to the
laws of this state. You will close by
asking the Lord to have mercy on my
soul. I will close by solemnly asking
God to open your blind eyes to the
truth, to your individual responsibility
so that you will cease to give support
to this hell-born traffic.
CaIIuIoid That Will Not Burn.