The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1914-08-21


ent any matter, political or otherwise.
to its readers in biased or unfair or
untruthful manner. and its participa-
ton in the controversy arising over af-
fairs in the Office of the county prose-
cutor has been prompted only by de-
sire to see fair play and promote an in
telligent understanding of the situa-
ton. We have not the time, nor do we
consider it necessary, to reply in detail
to the statement made by j. H. Dubbs
in a recent issue of The Flint Daily
Journal. With the statement of fact
made by Mr.. Dubbs, as regards the af-
fair with Sayre, there is, as we under
stand it, little ground for dispute, and
if Mr.. Dubbs had made statement of
equal strength and signed it, and had
given it to the prosecuting attorney,
Mr.. Sayre would NOW BE UNDER AR
REST.
Dubbs, in his statement, says that
Sayre made an unprovoked and brutal
and felonious assault upon him, even to
the extent of attempted murder, and
that there were six eye witnesses to the
fact, and yet he has THUS far refused to
assist in aiding in the execution of the
law by signing complaint. 1t is vast
ly important not to lose sight of Mr..
Dubbs' own attitude in this case. He
does not, in his statement, say that he
EVER offered to sign a complaint.
Mr.. Dubbs says that he was afraid
he would not get square DEAL" Is
it fair to charge the prosecutors Office
with shortcoming in this matter because
Mr.. Dubbs merely suspected he might
not get square deal? This especially,
in view of the fact that subsequent pro-
ceedings would have taken place in
open court, under proper authority, and
subject to the most careful public
scrutiny which assuredly would have
been given them in view of all of the
circumstances.
Mr.. Dubbs mentions political
ring" but we do not believe anyone
having knowledge of the facts will al
lege that the prosecutor or his assist
ant or the sheriff have ever been in the
same ring with Mr.. Sayre except under
the most liberal political Queensbury
rules. When he was a candidate for
the nomination two years ago Mr..
Bishop got just 80 votes in Mr.. Sayre's
home township of Flushing.
We want to call attention to one OF
two little inaccuracies in Mr.. Dubbs
statement as to what the article in the
Messenger contained. We did not say
that he was the only eye witness to the
shooting and we did not say that hs
used abusive language. We sale
"strong" language, feeling safe in the
assumption that when MIR. Dubb.
"passed the milk" to Mr.. Sayre, fol
lowing their disagreement, he did mo-
do so with all genteel ceremonial Of
latter you my dear Alphonse, and We
believe he was quite excusable if h.
didn't.
| Now, just word for the enlighten
ment of Mr.. A. E. Hurd, of Dawson
whose article appeared contemporane
ously with that of Mr.. Dubbs. and W,
take it. was dictated by entirely disin
terested motives. The complaint pre-
pared by the prosecutor and presented
to Mr.. Dubbs for his signature, which
paper may still be seen by any who art
interested, provided for an arraignmen
on charge Of "felonious assault,
punishable on conviction by maximum
sentence of THREE YEARS IN PRISON
A charge for assault with intent to d,
great bodily harm less than the Grim,
of murder" requires peculiar proof
as may readily be inferred from
its title. and is often exceedingly diff
cult to establish. Attempted murder,
might. in the case under discussion, re
quire showing of restraint upon TIT
person making the assault, of some
force outside himself, in order t,
establish it. We are not lawyer, blu
have tried to become informed, and be
lieve the statements herein made arr
substantially correct. Of course it will
be readily understood that the charg'
first above mentioned might be mucl
more easily established in certain case
than the other more serious ones, and
as general proposition, is probabl,
true that the difficulty of securing con
victions for crime is somewhat proper
tionate to the degree of the offens,
charged.
Lastly, it is not the practice, we be
lieve, for prosecuting officers to allow
compliments or their attorneys to die
tate the degree Of the offense will
which an offender may be charged
prospectively or actually.