The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-23

Beattie, who after six weeks OF care
lui coaching managed to put up a
story which, we are told, the jury be-
ileved only part OF. is past any fair.
minded persons comprehension. Paul
Seattie seems to be person who can
say anything, whose own grandfather
said he only told the truth by acci-
dent. Granted some OF the circum-
stances were not very clear, still the
weight OF evidence. excluding Pauls,
was In the prisoners favor, and where
there Is q doubt at all ought not the
prisoner TO get the benefit OF 1t? One
who i has right to deprive man OF
restore, even II IT Is done In the name
of law and Justice?
Truly. it Is a fearful thing to fall
INTO the hands of q prejudiced and ig-
eoms OUT pu and No pupils man dsrs
this man fair trial" The press has
reiterated again and again that he got
fair trial He most assuredly did
make 1t So In fact. "Methinks he doth
protest too much" All the setting was
as carefully done 10 tell against the
class theatre. One exception stood out.
| Judge Watson. and even he allowed
the prosecuting counsel to give voice
to a speech which Is Disgrace to the
| ashamed OF 1t. II he isn't ac ought TO
be. What right or authority had he
TO set up s Judge and impute mo-
! ttves and actions in such hendish
light? If the evidence warn't stronE
and clear enough to convict without
all that rhetoric and cheap wit, then
he ought not to have been convicted
weight with the jury. Something ca,
ried weight, and the balance certainly
turned on the lawyers side. Such gra-
tuitous insult and invective were dealt
in that If Cluverius. etc, were treated
| in like manner Virginia certainly owes
an apology 10 their bones. Other press
notices commended Virginia for her
! compared II to the law courts In Bril-
tain. Such speech az that we have
| mentioned would have been enough TO
cause another trial there
Justice. as 1t is known in law is
dealt with a very even hand. There is
no fear OF offending the public nor
VIII the prisoner be dcharred from get
ting the benefit Of the doubt in order 10
condemned him. The Judge weighs and
| sums up the evidence on both sides
and endeavors to put it before the
! go out 10 consider their verdict with
! denunciationa Of the prisoner ringing
in their ears
II is quite possible that the evidence
may have appeared different 10 those
[ who heard and saw IL given. but to one
who read ii carefully there seemed
very little to build case upon if Paul
! Bcattie was eliminated, and again 7
! repeat. to put man to death upon
| such evidence as he Is capable of Civ
Ing is nothing short OF II crime, and
no amount OF comm endation from 9TH
! cr parts of the country can condonc II
! Think of the terrible responsibility of
| sending man into eternity through
| an error of Judgment! Even twelve
/ men can be mistaken, and twelve men
taken from public secthing with
! righteous Indignation" and condem-
| nation of the accused is very liable TO
| he mistaken.
| pitied. y man has only once to die,
! and a man with his superb courage Is
very likely TO so through II as be-
comes a man. and not cowardly slay-
CT OF a helpless woman. But his faith
! err Can even the law he justified in
I himself to be TO such cXcruciating agony
as he viii have to suffer on that black
! Friday" without al least trying to put
all reasonable doubt aside? IF his
CUNT were. positively established. his
| father is Spartan enough TO bear the
! uatcd that his father had any doubts
| as to his innocence, and his behavior
| towards that father goes a long way
towards making 1t appear likely.
momont to make sure that in trying
! to mete out justice we do not also
stain our hands with blood?
! Some 1000 years ago Judge. when
he could not appease the public with
( out q victim, called for water and
washed his hands and said. lie, His
/ blood be upon you and your children
I There Is no comparison between the
/ victims, but the public was the Same
in the mass ms to-dny--thought II was
i Dabney;a S aRADBR.