The Washington times., 1926-09-21

the other day and delivered the
As a result, and to the amaze
ment Of millions, Mrs. Hall, widow
OF the dead clergyman, is indicted
twice for murder, once presumably
for the murder Of her husband and
once for the murder Of Mrs. Mills.
the choir singer.
With her are indicted her two
brothers and Mr.. Carpenter, rela-
tive. Each of these four was IN
dicted twice for murder. Each
must stand trial, and if convicted
all four can be put to death under
the laws of New Jersey.
Doubts Mrs. Halls Guilt
As to the three men indicted by
the grand jury have no opinion.
4 fair.minded judge, IL honest
3urymen viii tell about them.
But, while do not pretend to
set up my own judgment against
the conclusions Of the detectives
and the Judgment of the grand
Jury. I cannot find It in my heart
to believe that Mrs. Hall is guilty
Of that terrific crime.
Many women that write me con-
gtantly about my articles in this
newspaper have said that Mrs. Hail.
had just provocation. That is false.
MES. Hall suffered agOnies ten
times worse than death when she
knew that her husband was false
t. her.
But there is no such thing as
JUST PROVOCATION for any sin,
much less the terrible crime of
murder.
The Bible tells us to turn the
other cheek.
Few Observe Rule
And while few Christians, un-
fortunately. live up 100 per cent to
Bible teachings, hope that we
have not reached the stage in which |
any considerable number viii say
that an offense, any provocation, |
even such as that endured by Mrs. |
Hall, can justify killing.
DO NOT BELIEVTs THAT |
MRS. HALL IS GUILTY, BE- |
CAUSE / CANNOT. BELIEVE |
THAT SHE is GUILTY.
What the three accused men may /
have done I do not know. But / |
have seen photographs of Mrs. Hall. /
Suffering is written on her face
and long mental torture has cut
deep lines into it.
IL there Is anything in the hu.
man expression, Mrs. Halls face is
that Of q woman to whom the com.
mitting Of such q crime would be
absolutely unthinkable.
What will the verdict Of the jury
be9 No one has q tight to anticf.
Verdict With Jury
Strong proof, of course, must
have been put before the Grand
Jurors before they would bring in
double indictments for murder
against each of the four that had
lived blamelessly and uprightly in
the community.
What will the punishment be?
The law settles that and it will de.
pend upon the jury's verdict.
Wisely our feeble human wisdom
has created the jury system, which /
acts as a sort Of mental shock abb
sorber between the rigors OF the /
law and weak human beings.
The jury can say murder in the
first degree, in which :ase, should
the decision not be overruled, all
four of the accused would be. put
to death.
That question all may freely dis
cl1ss. with due respect and sub
mission to the courts decision when |
1t is given.
The average man, I suppose,
would sentence the three accused
men to death. if they were con-
Victed.
But the average man, ! believe,
would NOT condemn Mrs. Hall to
death. Many, i'm the slang Of the
day. would say that the Rev. DIR.
Hall sttOOk a chance" that he in
fIicted upon his wife suffering
worse than the bullets inflicted
upon him, and that ''he got what
was coming to him."
1t would be very interesting II a |
fury of II married women could sit |
in Judgment upon Mrs. Hall when
she is tried. 1 presume the four
accused could have separate trials |
IL their lawyers demanded it and |
the judge consented.
Sees Separate Trial
should think, without knowing |
anything about the law, that Mrs. |
Hall would seek a separate trial and |
a separate jury.
Her case is not that of the others. |
If they should be found guilty |
they would be convicted of commit |
ting murder, because somebody else |
wanted them to. And the most Sc
we're penalty is the only penalty
for that.
But what ought to be the penalty
for murder?
The Bible says an eye for an eye,
q tooth for a tooth. And carried
farther it means "a life for a life."
But there is law higher than
any law written in the books,
higher than the stern writings of
the Old Testament.
That higher law is the voice Of
Christ.
He said: Forgive them. Father.
they know not what they do"
When you read those words, For
give them Father" you see in
your mind the saddest picture in
all the world. Christ, sinless and
pure, accused, convicted, delivered
to the rabble by PLATE who knew
that He was innocent.
Must Have Justice
Through a jeering crowd, driven
on by Roman soldiers, bearing the
heavy weight of the cross, He was
taken to a bare hill called Golgotha,
outside Of the city, and there put
to death after hours of horrible
agony. while a criminal on one side
derided him, and the penitent thief
m khA n%1n,. aaoarIry cf e