Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-07-15
Colorado and John Lawson

Q EPARATED by more than half the width
~ of the continent from the scene of the
trial, conviction and sentence of John Lawson.
the Colorado coal miner for the alleged muir
der Of a mine guard, it is difficult to say what
are the facts, but certain it is that the stories
that arc being told. we'll as the charges Of
corruption and oppression hurled by Lawson
himself in the teeth of the judge who con-
demned him TO life imprisonment create an
impression distinctly unfavorable.
Lawson was tried for the murder of man
named Nimmo. 1t was not alleged that he
had any actual part in Nimmo's death, or even
that he was near when the homicide was COM
mitted His guilty completely was alleged to
have resided in the fact that he was district
president of the United Mine Workers, and
as such had melted members of the orga MIA
ton to lawlcss violence
In the current number of tie Masses that
organ Of unrest and protest, George Cree
under the caption, Rockefeller Law" de-
scrbes the manner Of Lawson's conviction
The Masses is not quite the publication nor
Mr.. Creel the writer from which and whom
an impartial analysis of these circumstances
might be expected. The interesting and i'm
portant thing is that charges of such judicial
infamy, of the prostitution of the power of
great State to purposes of revenge, are so
boldly and so badly made
In substance, Mr.. Creel'S allegations are
these
That Lawson, instead Of being even con-
structively guilty Of murder, had constantly
advised and urged the miners to refrain from
all violence;
That impartial judges and juries had re-
fused to convict alleged accomplices of Law
son ON similar charges;
That through the Rockefeller interest
bill was rushed through the Legislature, pro-
vding for the creation OF an extra Judge to
try these cases;
That CRANKY Hillye., a Rockefeller at
torney known publicly to have branded the
striking miners as 'murderers and outlaws"
was appointed TO this judgeship
That after the refusal OF the county grand
jury to indict Lawson and others, the At
torney-General of the State filed an informa-
ton, on which the trial was held;
That Judge Hillyer, despite his known bias,
refused TO grant change of venue;
That the trial jury was not drawn from the
jury box, as provided by law, but "hand-
picked" by sheriff bitterly hostile to the
accused
When on last Monday, Lawson was re-
fused new trial and resentenced by Judge
Hillyer, he made i'll open court charges essen
TALLY the same as those made by Mr.. Creel
Again he protested lis innocence. and de-
cared his trial TO have been "a judicial
travesty"
What the facts are, we repeat we do not
know, but allegations Of this kind solemnly
lteratcL and reiterated, are too serious and
affect too intimately the lives and happiness
OF men everywhere to pass unchallenged and
uninvestigated. If they are true, even in
substance they indicate the existence in
Colorado Of conditions too base and horrible
to be accepted or endured by free people
fortunately for the truth and for the honor
Of the republic, LawsoL's counsel unques-
tlonably viii he able to present his case TO
the Supreme Court of the United States In
That tribunal the truth will become known
and justice done to all concerned