The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1911-08-03

~ fatal bodily lniury II -. thea
tht bins musi bRre knocked hoffH
fsa a. ffteen fe,i ana oreg htu5h
tuto ! utBaon
Nos NJ Editor J submit that
SONS one o. more II these via.
neassa maa have petlared himself
~ else the Jufor told me false
hood have never considered him
a. = man u that kisd The sam,
ei,nrssa sere used before the pets
tafy ~ aere afed before the Eraad
Jury and the evidence should hats
been alike. II Il was no, materially
the same. there mus, have bssu pun
gary. and Il ID the dul ~ the
States Attorney 70 sit the mattsi
thoroughly am free 10 kas
that cannot see how the jury could
bring 10 verdict Of aequittal under
the following facts which seem 60
stand uhdisputed First. Mr. Moffit
Is dead Second be died IN come
quenee Of blow inflicted By Fred
Duplls. and third. the rather IN
probability that Fred Duplls was al
any time IN danger OF serious bod
iy Injury from an old dceripid man
aud while his two strong athletic
brothers stood Immediately al hand
These three facts fully Justified a
verdict OF manslaughter. aud the
judges Of our county court could b,
safely trusted not TO inflia too sey.
ere a penalty under law that per.
mits sentence OF anywhere from
one 10 twenty years imprisonment.
The verdict virtually makes a rui.
ing In Bennington County that any
man may Kill man who attacks
him even though the assault has not
injured him or left visible mark
on his person.
Can We afford such a ruling Ia
Bennington County? Can We lessen
crime by protecting the criminal
Can We inculate law abiding princi-
pies by giving ovation TO partici-
pants in drunken rows and dances?
Shall we make better citizens by
teaching our children that they may
kill with impunity? The answer
lies in the attack OF Boulger upon
his brother. The wanton shooting
and bare escape from death OF a
quiet, industrious citian at Shafts
bury. The brutal treatment of the
old soldier at the Soldiers Home
that resulted In his death. and last
but not least, the brutal, inhuman,
beastly treatment OF his wife by
Niles of SALISBURY, by pouring hot
water on her person and killing hel
father because in his old age he
bravely attempted TO protect his
daughter.
Can the answer be more empha
tic? Can the reply be more com
plete?
And the climax Is reached WIN
the editor of the Bennington Banner
the Speaker Of the House of Re
representatives., takes a brother edi-
tor to task because he uses the
language of righteous indignation
person in speaking OF the fiendish
crime of Niles, and then goes on t.
say that the chronic drunkenness OF
Niles and his abuse of his family
will make him an object of scorh
for the rest OF his life. Really
wonder If the Banner realizes how
little, how very little the scorn OF
the public will affect brute lik,
Niles.
We congratulate Bennington Co,
in that they have not had a murde
for year, | congratulate Whining
ton In that she has not had mur.
der for more htan a hundred years
land | do not know that she ever
did and when she did have one.
the murderer was promptly arrested
tried, convicted, and sentenced tt
nine years in the state prison,
While Duplis, for an almost exactly
parallel crime, is acquitted and
given an ovation One is given
long penal sentence and the Other
is applauded as a hero.
Is 1t possible that the Banner
can content itself by yoicing. simpl,
a mild protest against the reign o.
crime that has in the past, and bid
fair in the future,to give Bennington
County the highest criminal recort
In the State? Can it, even by i'm
plication. infer that either of tn,
three men who lie in their graves
today, would have been there, hat
they not received the blows that re
suited In their death These M
were not In fault because they
were old. but the men who struc
them were more fully In fault +,
that very reason.
Truly yours,