Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1921-03-17
(From Fridays Daily

ALL0T Ln0 drSuILFouIS CtOSeu, anu
after the judge charged the jury,
Thursday about noon, the twelve men
wrestled with the problem until past
four o'clock when they returned for
instructions. The court had asked
them to decide upon one of three YER
diets:
Assault with intent to commit a
statutory offense.
Assault without the intent.
Not guilty.
the first two and this was explained
by Judge Quinlin
Then they retired and about 5
o'clock reported they were ready with
the verdict.
Charles Geissler Of Baraboo, former
ly Ableman, the foreman in the case,
passed the verdict to the judge who in
turn gave it to Clerk of Court Frank
B. Moss who read the verdict-as-
sault without intent to commit a
statutory offense.
This form of verdict was not asked
IOF at the former Lrlal.
= Speaks Concerning Petition
Judge Quinlan, concerning a petition
which had been circulated, said:
Before I pass sentence on this de-
PENDANT, my attention has been call
ed to the fact that a petition was cir
culated throughout the city and I
think throughout the country On behalf
Of the defendant, which was address
ed to the circuit judge, Judge Stevens,
and the district attorney of this coun-
ty, and which was presented to those
gentlemen, requesting that no further
prosecution Of this action should be
had, and suggesting that whether or
not there was a prosecution rested in
the hands Of the district attorney. I
want to say now that that was an
absolutely wrong proceeding to be
! taken by the people Of this county.
When the criminal laws are broken or
violated, it is the duty of the district
attorney, under the law and under his
oath of office, to make an investiga-
ton, and if he is satisfied that the
Jaw has been violated, it is his duty
under the law and under his oath of
office to institute prosecution and
punish the man who has violated the
law-the man or the woman who has
violated the law. And if there is any
doubt as to the disposition of the case,
then the work, or the responsibility,
passes to the circuit Judge. Now, the
district attorney for this county is
elected by the people of this county
to prosecute and to enforce the laws
Of this state, and it is the duty of the
circuit judge to administer the law.
In order that we may have efficient
service and enforcement of the law,
it is necessary, under our system of
government, that the enforcement and
execution Of the laws be reposed in
some definite person or body That
in this state is the district attorney.
And when these men. whoever they
were. signed the petition addressed
to the district attorney and the CIR
cult judge, to thwart or in any way
influence their action, it was an alb
solutely wrong proceeding; and I IN
derstand that many business men and
citizens here signed that petition. |
can't understand, and don't believe
that those men had anything in mind
but what was right when they signed
that petition; but you must under
"+ond that in all cases there are two
SIDES, two parties; in this case the
|. 9+0to oF Wisconsin and the society
: throughout the state were on one side
and the defendant in this action en-
the other side. Now the girl in this
: case claimed that her rights had been
, violated by this defendant by the
assault which had been made upon he1
} by him. She had right to have that
case brought into court and determin
, ed and decided under the laws of this
, state and by jury and by the court
end no outside man has any right tC
Influence or attempt to influence OF
criminal law If that were allowed tc
prevail, man with influence and
wealth could thwart successful pros
ecution of any case against himself
or against his friends. The law is made
for every man, whether he be rtch or
poor; the law recognizes no distinc-
ton either Of race, wealth or condi.
tiCn; every man stands equal before
the law. And when you sign these
petitions here try ng to influence the
prosecution Of these people who have
violated the law, you destroy the
government, destroy the law that pro-
tects you. That is wrong. The dis
trict attorney should be left with a
free hand. He represents the people,
and he must exercise his judgment I'M
influenced and uncontrolled by any
outside power.
81 never heard Of a proceeding of
this kind before in all my experience;