Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1912-10-09
Evidence Not Circums,an,;s,

Not one OF these men 49, CO..
V,.ted on circumstantial evidence
all OF the evidence being tba, -
yye-",'hesses, so that there is NOT
wy shadow OF a doubt as to their
quit There were no mitigating
circumstance whatever. and the Sne
preme Court found no error in the
proceedings Of the trials in the low.
er court,
Communication Would Be Ou,ray.
The Governor has not written m,
concerning these men, and | have
no authentic information as IN b;s
in,.eentions''in the premises. came,
oeheve tina, the Governor will com
mute the sentences Of any OF them
70 DO 50 would be gross and nm.
called Tor miscarriage of ius,;cc
such an official act would be ont.
rageous and reprehensible in IN.
extreme. and do not believe ,ha,
me Governor will set himself above
,he courts, juries. constitution and
Jaws OF arizona. Capital punish
nent IS on the statutes and while
there II must be recognized and
carried out. The question of aboI-
ishment OF capital punishment was
up before, the Constitutional Con.
ven'ion and the first legislature of
the State. and the peoples represen-
tauves refused TO abolish il. I, is
the law OF Arizona and To ignore
u or refuse TO carry it out would
ne iantanount 10 a dictatorship
which the voters OF Arizona would
resent at the very first oppor,un-
ity.
A Parallel Case.
Governor Foss. o Massachusetts
is against capital punishment. but
when Richardson. who murdered a
woman. and who was sentenced 10
death, Hooded the Governor with
petitions to commute his sentence
of death 20 life imprisonment. Gov
ernor Foss ignored the petitions and
let the law take its course: and
murderer Richardson was hanged
for his crime.
Murderers Escape.
Many murders have been com
mii,ed in Yavapai county during the
past few years and several cold
blooded murderers have not been APP
pretended, but have escaped from
the Territory and State. The man
or men who killed and murdered
George Maynard and wife in their
own home a few years ago, have
never as yet been apprehended.
Would Incite Lynch Law.
! might cite numerous other in
stances that have come within my
notice.
Now when the county has sue
ceeding in placing four airocious
and cold-blooded murderers on the
scaffold, after fair trials. ] cannot
believe that the Governor Of this
great State will arrogate 10 himself
the duty OF annuling the verdicts OF
the juries ad the judgment and sen
fences OF the District. Superior and
Supreme Courts OF Arizona. by com
muting any Of those sentences; be
cause such course Of conduct
would incite our people to violence,
and lynch law would very prob
ably be resorted to in future cases.
! have resided in Yayapai County
for nearly 10 years and the people
here are abiding and believe in
the integrity OF our courts and jur
les, and lynch law has never been
invoked in this county Ia my know
ledge.
II murdcrcrs, like the ones men
toned. should have their sentences
committed To life imprisonment, il
would simply mean that in a few
years they would all be paroled and
would be free To commit other
crimes OF like nature. This the peo-
pie will not countenance or sane
ton. II these men or any OF them
should have their sentences commut-
ed, il would encourage other would
be murderers to get busy forth
with. In such contingency what
would be the use OF County At
tornci trying to protect human NE
from murderers and assassins? All
his efforts would be in vain
Your stand for the niorcement
OF the law should be upheld by all
law-abiding citizens, 10 the end that
Justice may be meted out 10 all, the
guilty punished, and society protect
ed
p. W. O'SULLIVAN.
County Attorney.