The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-05-09

believes the defendants are innocent,
We can do no better than quote
what Neighbor Ferguson has to say
about the matter:
1.-The position taken by John l..
Grayot in the night rider cases on
trial at Paducah seems to us to be
an unenviable one. We trust that
our criticism, IL such it be, is not TO
be construed as a censure, for GER
tainly we are not sufficiently advised
to offer such, therefore we confine
our remarks to unexplained incidents
and occurrences hastily noted.
"The suits of the Hollowells in the
federal court at Paducah few weeks
ago resulted in a hung jury with
|1O:2 for a verdict of $4,000 against
the defendants. A new trial was or
dered and the case comes up again
for trial May IL. Another suit has
since been fled against the same de-
PENDANTS. Whether the defendants,
or any of them. are guilty, we do not
know, nor do we know but little OF
the evidence against them. But as
the case now stands, the presumption
of guilt is great to one familiar with
the circumstances. The offepses for
which these parties were tried were
committed in Caldwell county. Cald-
well county and Livingston county
are in the same judicial district.
Judge Gordon and John l.. Grayot
hold circuit court at Princeton, the
county seat of Caldwell county. II
these parties are guilty as are
charged, they should have been sent
to the penitentiary long ago by the
circuit court. None have ibeen pun
ished. For the second trial in the
federal court, jury was ordered
from counties not infested with night
riding, it is reported from the coun-
ties of Jefferson and Bullitt. That
jury has just been summoned. Last
Monday in the Louisville Times APP
peared an article gotten from Prince
ton in which the undersigned citizens
of Princeton and Caldwell county
certified to the good character and
citizenship of the defendants In the
night rider suits In the federal court.
The following is taken from the
article:
1--we believe they are wholly in
nocent of the charge brought against
them BY the said Hollowells lin the
suit). and that they are in every way
honest and good people, and as ciu-
zens of the commonwealth of Ken
lucky we deem it, our duty to so
certify to the world.
John l.. Grayot's name is signed
officially to the article containing the
above. Now for some sober thoughts.
Is that article published and circu-
sated to influence the next jury at
Paducah? Why was il published at
this time? Why has Mr.. Grayot lent
his official signature. even though he
should entertain doubts of their
guilt? Nobody has charged that a
fair trial will not be given at Padu-
cab. Is anything more than fair
trial wanted? After the trial will be
sufficient time TO repair the injured
regulations, II they need II. That
circular business will not go before
the jury any way.
These are parties Mr.. Grayot
himself should have prosecuted II
guilty. Whether or not they are
guilty, 1t is very evident that some
body is guilty and has escaped prose-
cution.
Report is that thirty warrants
were issued last week for night
riders who raided Dycusburg. and
that arrests have been made and that
among those arrested were some OF
the defendants in those suits. IL that
be so, il is still more suspicious about
the circular business Z"