The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-10-21
Business Men Confirm Claims
of Police as TO Murderer's
Confession.
THEY GIVE THE LIE TO
SM00T ORGANS CHARGES
Tribune Representatives Act
Properly in Hearing Confess
sion Before Publishing 1t.
(BY MAC.)

II required but few moments oi
the time of six wcll.known business
men Of Salt Lake TO puucture the luric
story of Smoot 5 morning newspaper tc
the effect that the murderer of Officer
Riley had been forced TO confess by
violence, starvation, nervous strain and
other mistrcatment.
When they went to The jail and
Young Driskell was brought into their
presence, they assured him that il he
had been mistreatcd Ia any way what
suever, they were prepared 10 betrlcnd
him. But with characteristic frankuess
he declared that he had been kindly
treated and had been subjected 60 no
torture by the police. either IN mind OF
i'll body.
And when these citizens made public
their statements, assuring the people
that the police had dealt hunanely
with the man who slew their fellow
official, ii seems that this would forever
set at rest the vicious hyenas who have
been uipping at the heels of the eli
ciemt and faithful officers of the law.
When a couple of newspaper men
were drawn into the controversy and Ii
bellcd because they had used the pre-
caution to hear a confession of the muir
derer before giving il 10 the public,
Smoot 5 newspaper sank INTO the lowest
depths Of its dcpravitY
Why shouldu t the Tribune men seek
TO verify SO noteworthy confession be
fore making il public, knowing that ad-
vantage would he taken Of any over
sight on the part Of fhe police? What
crime was there in fhis. that rcpresen-
tativcs OF tbc Tribune went to young
Driskell and asked him 10 verify the
statement be had made 10 the police?
Any thoughtful person Will consider
that this was an act of prudence as well
as n protection 10 the officers who had
woven The web of guilt so firmly around
ihelr fellow worker : murderer that he
found IT necessary 10 make clean
breast of his shocking crime.
Fortunately there were few Of those
who read the bascless criticism Of the
Smoot morning newspaper who believed
il to he telling the truth. And If thc
makers of that newspaper have spark
of lcccncy they will admit their malice
and not only anolo"iZe To Chief Bar
low aud his fellow officers. but 10 the
two representatives Of the Tribune
whom they ibcllcd and malioned and
who arc completely sustained bv County
Attorney Lyou, his assistant; and six
of the most reputable business men IN
tho city.
Driskeil confessed because he was
guilty and not. as was intimated. 10 re.
lIcvc the police officials of official en-
hnrraSsmcnt.
Bui the barcfaccd Driskell story is
only in hnc with others. though prob
ably more conspicuous, tina; have been
coined and given currency during the
past ten days. There have been some
outrageous stories about the protectio
at criminals and cxtorting of money,
hv ;hc American party COMMITTEES, from
tho LIQUOR and gamblin@ interests
Chairman Darmer insists that moi one
dollar has been naid into tho American
"ampaigu fund hv either of these in
lcreSts, and this is known 10 be a fact
bv number Of the most reputable
members of the party.
Likewise malicious is The story which
some political workers are irving 10 cir.
"ulnte To tie effect that Mavor Brans-
ford scatiored The fallen women
throughout The city and turned them
ontn tho streets. As matter of fact
and faci we'll known to the readiup
puoiic. Navor Bransford g den has been
'" scerc"atc this class into dis
iTlct. They were scattered hy the
church Renubiican sheriff and MS dcp.
m.'ies, and they were praised by The
on1ot n"wspapcr for their work.
Even some of these IDENTITIES arc ac-
Continued on Page Eleven.