The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-09-21
erdmore. Thursday, Sept. q, 1911
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1Hg TRIAL OF mATHERs.

THE TRIAL OF mATHERS.
The trial OF James H. Mathers, at
toruey OF Carter county, which IS
being conducted IN the district court
here has been as fair a trial as has
ever been held in this county. At
tornev James 7. Coleman, who Vas
appointed by the court TO represent
the state has gone TO the bottom OF
the sad affair lie brought to the
Jury every phase OF the trouble mat
led up to the killing and the acts OF
both parties al the time OF the killing
Carter county IS 10 be congratulated
az the masterful manner in which Mr..
Coleman conducted the prosecution.
He did not persecute Mathers, ne
did not attempt the sensational, but
ne did lust what the plain duty OF
every prosecutor is-he laid bare all
the facts before the jury and he left
the responsibility in the hands Of the
twelve good men selected 70 hear and
determine the case. The attorneys
for the defense watched the proceed
iugs with great care. there were some
but not many. objections made 10 the
questions asked by the prosecutor.
The trial has had no sensational led-
lures, the jury drank in every word
o; the evidence, the court room was
crowded but there were no disturb
lug noises The Mathers trial has
been what every trial Of the kind
should be. 1t has not been wrangle
O. attorneys TO confuse witnesses and
jurors each witness told his story,
he was questioned far enough
to bring out all the facts and when
the jury retires it will have all the
evidence before it and will be able TO
dispense justice whatever its verdict
is
The trial OF James II. Mathers hao
developed this one thing that the
press OF the county and she people
generally have not known what II
means for county attorney 10 fol
low the old federal courts in the pros
ecution OF cases. Men who We're cas-
lily acquitted under the federal courts
have been tried and convicted onder
the state courts. Men who had been
accustomed to committing crimes saw
the handwriting on the wall that
they must obey the law or be convict
cd and punished for their crimes.
They resented the new condition of
ahalrs and the life of the county at
torney has been in danger. Men who
elected Mathers have not known of
the sacrifices he has made to be a
faithful officer, they have not known
what he has suffered TO produce re-
spcct for the law and in a sense he is
n martyr. Serious trouble has been
forced upon him and the wonder is
that he is not a corpse today instead
OF the other man. Without any desire
10 become sentimental We state that
the people of Carter county and the
lowabiding citizenship of Oklahoma
owe to James II. Mathers debt of
gratitude which they will never ho
able to pay. They owe him that debt
OF lasting gratitude because hc has
fcarlessly ana in the face of the most
imminent danger gone about his du.
ties Of the office which he assumed
and without prosecuting he has pros
ecuted, he has not fawned at tho feet
of the man-killer and sought 10 make
his reputation at the expense OF the
man less desperate and less dauael-
rerous
The most intimate friends of the
deceased and his aged and afflicted
mother could not desire a more
searching inquiry into the case than
the states attorney. James r. Cole
man, has made and an parties should
be satisfied with the verdict OF the
jury.
-O----