The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1920-09-07
FLEET JUSTICE
ON CANAL ZONE
Three MTderers Tried, Convicted
and Sentenced Within
Six Hours.
AGED WATCHMAN is SLAIN
Prosecutor Described Murder as 1.-THE
Most Dastardiy Crime Ever Com
mitted in the Canal Zone"-
Men Ably Defended.

Crsicieal, c. Z.-Eighteen days aft
er they murdered Barbadian named
William Blackett, Daniel McCloud and
Eduardo Lopez. Panamans. and James
Williams. a Nassau Islander, were
placed on trial here and within six
hours the three were convicted and
sentenced TO death.
The prosecutor described the MUIR
der as ''the most dastardly crime ever
committed in the Canal Zone" Black
eft. an old man. was a night watch
man at a remote dynamite magazine
in a pit about mile from the Allan
tic entrance to the canal. McClOud,
Lopez and Williams, two Of whom
had been released from jail not long
before, plotted to steal dynamite and
caps, with the necessary fuses, and
sail down the coast and sell their
spoiIs TO fishermen. They stole fat
bottomed boat, sailed up narrow d.
version channel to within a short dis
lance of the dynamite storehouse,
silently stole up to the house, which
was guarded by the Waterman, and
uShSu LUZ SUlDc uf1dIDlt6. vi Lie
watchman's refusal to give 1t they
hit him on the head with black
smiths hammer, then tied a rope
around his neck and stabbed him In
the throat. They stole II boxes Of
dynamite, placed them in their boat
sailed down the diversion channel,
hid their spells to be carried away at
leisure and went their several ways.
This was at one O'Clock in the morn
ing, and Blackett's body was not dis
covered until three O'clock, when a
Waterman came to relieve him.
Quickly Appreciated.
BY ten O'Clock that night two~of the
murderers were in custody; the third
was apprehended next day. Most peo-
pie on the Zone thought there was no
such thing as capital punishment on
the statute books, but they were mis-
taken, and three men have been
hanged since the American occupa-
lion of the Canal Zone--in 1908 and
l909-for murder in the first degree.
The feeling among the residents on
he isthmus ran high against the ac-
cused, especially among their own
people, The negroes on the isthmus,
rs Il rule. are peace-loying, and while
they will do much talking in their
they seldom come to blows.
other was beyond their comprehen-
sion !,
McClond. Lopez and Williams were !
arraigned before the magistrates |
court and held for murder and grand !
larceny for the district court. On the |
day Of the trial excitement was at its |
highest Tt was feared that an at
tempt would be made to take the
prisoners from the police, and every
Abort was made TO insure their safety.
The courtroom Is on the third floor of
he Masonic temple, in the very cen
-er CT the city, and on the border line
If the Canal Zone and the Republic 1
If Panama. The building is equipped
With fire escapes. and these were
packed with negroes anxious to get
look at the men who had disgraced 4
heir race. They would have been Il
Had to pass and execute Judgment on
he accused.
Ably Defended.
Judge Hanan designated three of
he most able lawyers practicing In
he Canal Zone courts to defend the
nurderers. Judge c. p Fairman, an
american lawyer of high standing,
ras named to defend McCloud, while
" C. Todd and l.. s. Darlington,
9th of Colon, were appointed to de-
end Williams and Lopez
The three on trial for their lives
aid LITTLE attention to the proceed
lgs except when on the witness
land. Then each admitted taking
art in the murder, but each denied
eing the man who did the actual
Hing each blaming the other. The
0vernment's case was SO closely
oven about them that there was NO
nance for escape