The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1910-06-11

i'm an impersonal way, a s it happened tnat the entor " thSp aper
and the writer of this article was a member of the jury, and it is not
for him to say that the jury was composed of men of a high sense Of
honor and duty, able to scrutnize and weigh testimony and determine
its true value, capable of submerging prejudices and preferences and.
personal wrongs, brave enough to ignore popular clamor, and
judicial enough to bring in a verdict in strict conformance to evidence
and the law. The verdict itself attests these facts, but the writer
wishes to give this additional tribute to the manliness of his associates
as evidenced at every step in the trying ordeal through which they
have just passed. Whatever may be the popular desire, whatever may
be the result as affecting the future of any individual member of that
Jury. the verdict is evidence that neither was taken into consideration
and that exact justice was the end always striven for, and the con.
sciousnes of this fact, the belief that he performed his full duty, is all
the reward that any member of the jury may expect and all that any
can wish or hope for.
Ordinarily such observations about a jury in the cases that come
up from time to time, would be uncalled for, as every jury is expected
to do its full duty and presumably does so, without fear of censure or
hope of reward. But this case had attracted widespread attention;
the entire community had interested itself and taken sides; it had
become the popular belief that verdicts against the defendants in
highs cases could not be secured in this community and that
the feeling against the Consolidated Mining company in cases where
hat company appeared as prosecuting witness, would follow the jury
into the jury room. This popular belief was s. strong that it now ap
pears that throughout the case the general opinion prevailed on the
streets that the result would be either a hung jury o. a verdict for
he defense. irrespective of the testimony. But we wish to say that at
10 iuncture n their deliberations did a single juryman appear to be
in the least influenced by or take cognizance to the slightest degree Of
any of these considerations. There was only honest striving for the
truth and for a just verdict.
And we might say further in this connection, that had a verdict
of acqaittal been found in this Smith high-grade case, the ConsoE-
dated Gold Mines company, or rather it's president, would have had
himself to thank for it. 1t was only a few days before this case CON-
menced tina. there appeared in The Tribune al authorized statement
from George Wingfeld inveighing against this community in general
and against individuals not named, but theoretically easily determined,
for assumed hostility toward that company. In this screed, which was
an insult to every member of the community, Mr.. Wingfeld repeats
the street talk that the Consolidated cannot secure the conviction of
a high-grader by a jury in Goldfeld, - which reasonably construed
meant that the people of Goldfeld were themselves a pack of thieves
living off the Consolidated. or condoned thievery and crime, and that
enough men of honor and decency could not be found in the com
munity to FL a jury box; and in this connection was the direct threat
purile and pusillanimous, that he would move the town OF Goldfed
oat to his mine and leave us without his benign protection, to the
tender mercies of the lean and windswept desert. And as boorish and
brutal as was this outbreak, all the more vicious and scandalous it was
IN view of the fact that court was still in session, a venire summoned.
and a jury about to be drawn to try another of the high-grade eases
in which the Consolidated was to appear as prosecuting witness; for
his utterance was intended, without a shadow of a doubt. to intimidate
the forthcoming jury and influence it in its verdict. And we repeat
that it the jury had found a verdict against the state-which was
identical with the Consolidated in this case-Mr. Wingfeld would
have had himself to thank for it, for no honest citizen of this %
munlty ana especially d prospective juror, could help feeling Keen
resentment at the insult and attempted coercion. And in finding the
verdict it did, the jury filings back the insult to Wingfeld and vmdt
Gates the community against its traducer. Because the editor of this
paper was a venireman, he could not with proprety discuss the Wing
held elimination at the time 1T appeared, but felt no less keeny the
filings and insinuations intended for the community and for himself
personally. 1t is not the first time he has been subjected to Wing
we will say to Nh. Wingfeld and to the Consolidated Mines company
that they personally and as a company will be given a greater degree
OF Justice and be treated with even more fairness by the people OF
Goldheld than has been melted out to them.
We will also call Mr. Wingfeldis attention to the fact that the
people of Godfeld do not consider the theft of h~igh-grading any
worse than the crime of murder; and when he says in his statement
1 have always stood for law and order and / believe l have accom-
plished something in this direction, - he is to be reminded of the fact
that in three of the four murder cases that have come before the courts
behalf of the accused, Notwithstanding the fact that some of them
were as foul and brutal murders and by as low and perverted natures
as ever figured in the annals of crime. The assistance furnished, per-
mitted the defendants to make such a fight that it almost bankrupted
the county, and in at least two cases, brought about a perverson OF
justice. And when Mr.. Wingfeld talks about claw and order he
is to be reminded that the criminal calendar embraces more crimes
than high-grading or other petty ofenses against his mines or his com
panies.
AS to other charges, insinuations and threats, The News will take
them up later S % as not to confuse the point we wish to make: "a
the Consolidated must treat the people of Godfeld with the same
justice and consideration as the Consolidated would ask from them;
and that before relations of complete friendship and cordially ch
be secured, the Consolidated and its spokesman must assume a n en-
'hrely different attitude toward this community, toward our business
interests and our local government.