The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-05-31
SHERIFFS IN CONTEMPT,

The Springfield (Mass.) Republican
thus admirably states the ease or a
sheriff 5 duty when a duty is imposed
upon him by a court of competent iuris-
dlctlon, The sheriff referred to neg
lected his duty. thus putting himself in
direct contempt of court bv his penli
gence. The case is an important. as
well as an instructive one. and has =
direct bearing upon situation that is
acute at the present time in Salt Lake
City. Here is the statement referred
| 10:
The decision OF the United States Sin
pLctnGcc Court TO punish for contempt tho
Snerlii and deputy sheriff and four resi-
nears nenrs o. o. hamilton county. Tennessee. ap-
pedrs 10 be a very necessary exercise Of
inc powers OF the court for the Drotcc-
aoil,.o tlon OF It's own dignity and the faithful
charged with executing the courts or
ders II is unfortunate that the opinion
neba sueb sine,,r npn be ninapimous in of
tnc questions OF lynchIng and mob ruJc
are at the bottom Of the affair
rbaf,a ihs nHn..n mncnng G Of the negro Johnson at
ploW In The face Of the highest Federal
court Johnson had been convicted and
sentenced to death in the lower court
come before the United States supreme
court on appeal. In effcctinc a stay Of
me me proceedings in order that IL might
examine the charges against the defend.
5nt ana determine whether he had been
dealt with Justly. the court had for tbn
iime being taken him under its protoc-
VINO VINO had the prisoner in his care. thus
9eecame responsible TO the United States
supreme Court for the mans safety
pending the final decision. In winking
az the violation of the courts order by
INC mob, In making no resistance 10 The
inS inreaElns III tb open of the jaiI and the lynch
S,ieaty talthless to his obligations, and
ne thereby became answcrablc To IN"
with vrinunSI hI. whose decree had been dcGcd
VII Win hls connivancc and even with his |
heip- II such conduct on the part OF an |
oInccr charged with the enforcement OF |
the courts order does not constitute con
tempt. II would seem thar rou-eInnt co1,iI |
never be made an onens1 against the |
1udlclary under any circumstances what |
The issue was so sharply defined and
so acuteIy raised In the case Of the Iobn
son son lyncning that the court could not
nave ignored IT with safety. That ample
time has bccn taken for the exact doier-
iElnation H. OF the facts and n calm review J
or the necessities OF the situation b,. Tho
judges Is evident I'm the fact that four
years have elapsed since the onense was
SS1mmil{ed; No complicatipg issue Of
fair. in view OF the immediate iurisdic-
ton that the Federal tribunal Ind as
SuIHep III lle regular course Of iudicioi |
procedure, II the action OF the Supreme
Court in determining to punish for cor
tempt is unusual. Il may also be said
that very unusual and nagraut crime
was committed when the prisoner John
son was violently snatchcd from the cir
Gle OF its protecting arm and lawlcsslv
put to death.
The Salt Lake case is as follows: The
Third District Court here, on a showing
that a vile den of vice sometimes called
the 'stockade, and sometimes tho
'redlight district" incorporated un.
der the laws Of this State, was about
to open for its scandalous traffic in the
western portion of this city. issued an
injunction forbidding such opening, and
its order 10 the sheriff for
cptcrcemenL. The political champions