Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1910-05-16

The conviction of William Gohl of
murder in the first degree, for the
Staying of Charles Hadberg, closed
the most notable criminal trial in the
records of Chehalis county. The yer.
dict, recommending Gohl to the leni-
ency of the court, was reached after
nearly ten hours deliberation, and the
recommendation adopted only to pre-
vent mistrial where absolutely nc
doubt of the defendants guilt exist.
ed, was compromise with two jurors
who hung out against the other ten
for second degree verdict. Those
jurors are said to have been w. T.
Nicely and Ned Hackett.
Judge Sheeks has announced that
he would delay passing sentence un
til next Saturday, to allow the de-
Tense time to move for new trial
if they SO desire, as a preparation for
an appeal to the supreme court
Learned attorneys who have follow.
ed the case closely, are of opinion
that Judge Sheeks so conducted the
case as to leave absolutely nothing
in his rulings upon which to base an
appeal with any hope of success. This
leaves the defense nothing but the
hope of a faulty information to rely
upon. and if appeal is made, objec.
tiOn will be made to the wording OF
that document wherein it recites thai
Gohl held the pistol and fired the
fatal shots into the back of Hadbergs +
head.
This wording, written before the
klingenbcrg confession, could have
been altered, but County Attorney
Campbell relied upon a decision OF
the supreme court to the effect that
it was immaterial. The Herald is now
| informed that later decisions of that
| court take directly the opposite view
confirmation of a statement made not
long ago in Golfers Weekly, that a
decision of the Washington supreme
court was never safe to bet on. So
the chances are that, if the G0hl gang
| can secure the necessary funds, an
appeal will be taken in search of a
legal quibble-quibbles that make
American courts the by-word of the
civilized world.
GChl was convicted, after an abso-
lutely fair trial, of as foul a crime
as it is possible to conceive-the
cold-blOOded, premeditated butchery
of friend. Every protection known
to the law was thrown around him.
even to the extent of the society
whose laws he outraged engaging
and paying for counsel for his de-
fense. Every objection raised by him
or his counsel in the selection of the
jury and trial of the case was sus-
tanned if at all material to the de-
Tense. The law provides capital puni,
Cr,f sv1 ,o% ,s,,f
of revenge, but with the idea of the
wholesome effect upon other with
murderOus instincts. with the sole
view of protection to society.
The law prescribes the punish
ment for murder in the first degree,
as death by hanging or life imprison-
ment. at the discretion of the trial
Judge, a discretion that forms the
most disagreeable of a judges un-
pleasant duties. In this instance, this
duty is rendered doubly unpleasant
to Judge Sheeks by the recommends
ton Of the jury for leniency, the max
ing of which betrays a strange state
of mind. The defense utterly failed
to produce a scintilla of evidence that
would show an eXtenuating circum-
stance On the contrary, the crime
was shown to have been a carefully
planned brutal murder of an accom-
plice in former crimes. In fact, the
testimony of the prosecution was so
damning that the defense feared to
call upon it's array of witnesses least
cross examination expose more
crimes of this gang of murderous
pilfering pirates. whose members had
terrorized Grays Harbor for five years
and gave the port an uneviable repu
tation in every port in the world.
The convicted murdered, since his
advent on Grays Harbor has cost Che
halls county money enough. Foul
years ago, he attempted t(
board the schooner Fearless in the
lower harbor and take off a non-unior
cook. Being refused admission to the
schooner, he ordered his crew to fire
upon the vessel from a launch. H,
was later arrested and tried, beint
fined $1,000. This trial was an eX
pensive one.
Gohl next figured in a number o
crimes of petty nature, but no con
viction was secured against him, hi
henchmen coming to his rescue
Charles Hadberg, whom Gohl mul
dered, saved him from Jail sentenc
once last summer in Aberdeen, whel
he swore that two automobile robes
stolen from an automobile and foun
n Gohls possession, had been pul