The Caucasian., 1909-06-29
TOO QUICK ON THE TRIGGER

and killed Saturday night by police
officer. It is not the first man who has
been killed by policeman, nor will he
be the last victim.
Against the man slain there was pend
ing charge for vagrancy. He was in
the police station when the affidavit was
being written. He was nervous and
restless in action and in manner. In
the station at the time there were sew
eral officers. 1t was about 80 o'clock.
In the tWinkling of an eye, O'Nell
dashed out, running as a deer. Re-
covering from their anazement, the sew
eral officers in the station, except the
lieutenant, started in pursuit.
Had some of the officers present, in
stead of rushing out with their hands
on their handy and ready pistols, had
exercised little forethought and
jumped on some of the bicycles in the
station and pursued the fugitive, he
could not have esaped.
The charge Of vagrancy was simply
a pretext to hold O'Neil in durance un-
til he could be developed. He had
been in the company of disreputable
women and men drinking when he had
prated freely of some Of his deeds, at
least so it is said, and this led to his
being spotted and arrested as a bad
man. On this score there is consider
able disparity of opinion. Men who
claim to have known O'Neil as worker
in the Caddo oil field do not credit him
with the character he is painted to have
been. Yet he may have been very
bad man. However, the Caucasian will
not venture into a controversy over this
point, which IS an incident to this man
slaughter.
There can be no confusion of the
case. The issue is plain. In brief the
query is direct:
Can the police be justified at any time
for shooting and killing fugitive who
is only charged with a misdemeanor?
ne ponce IS HOt.
Nor Is there warrant in law for. the
palliation of such manslaughter.
As the Caucasian has said frequently.
there is little regard paid for human
life. Indeed, there is nothing SO cheap
as the life of human being. In the
market well kept and well dressed
hog will comnond ready price. The
hog possesses a value in dollars and
cents which is not applied to a common
ordinary man.
A man, as in this instance, is killed |
Well, what Of it?
For the moment a sense of outrage
has seized upon the community.
How long will it last?
What will be the result?
VIII It lead TO any protection in the
future from the officer of the law with
his handy and his ready pistol, the man
who is quick on the trigger?
O'Neil being dead can not speak for
himself.
There are no loving relatives to claim
him or to pay him the last tribute of |:
respect. There are no tears for him
and no flowers. The body is carted to
The potter's field and there it may re-
pose, unhonored and unsung, until the
trumpet call on Judgment Day.
If life were not so valueless the Of |,
ieer Of the law would be less reckless
4 handling their handy and their ready
oistol;; nor would they shoot and kill
except in self-defense, or when COM
oattlng with some desperate who, being
guilty of some outrageous crime, must
i held at all hazard. !,
here can be no excuse for any po- :
icenlan or officer of the law who is too
luick on the trigger. Some of the es- :
entials of good policeman, or of any
representative Of the law, are discre-
ION, prudence, q clear head and steady !.
erve A man with such characteristics
never too quick on the trigger" nor
I'LL ne call his handy and his ready pis-
81 into action except in extreme casesi
I'D when his life IS in peril. \
But Of what good purpose IS this SER
loaizirg, or the wordy protests of citi
ems aroused to brief indignation over
ae reckless and wanton killing of a
aasl, # such homicide is approved by /
1nar legal inaction or IS eondoned BY h
& Indifferent consideration which. as n
the past follows the reaction over III
ugh an outragel Lii
The staying Of O'NeiI IS unjustihable I'll
'oin any view OF the case. There was lb
I warrant for Il Had he escaped he
ould have been apprehended later. It A
Guild have been greater credit to the a
olice to have permitted his escape thanl
|. have killed him.
Thou shalt not kill Is commando
hieh siaosild stay tie hand of every
a. except il defense Of his life. TIL
command which 10 policeman or !
Ilcer II The law should be persnitfed
disregard, except is already re-