p. 121 | A Good Example by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 21, 1884

A Good Example.

By Editor

THE St. Helena Star sets a good example, which we wish would be followed by the papers generally. It is giving interesting lectures to that class of lawyers who rack their brains and resort to doubtful expedients to circumvent the law and to defeat justice by saving villains from punishment, even after their guilt is clearly proved. After a criminal is found guilty of the foulest crimes, a "new trial" is secured, and sometimes this is again repeated and thus the tax-payers have to bear heavy expenses, the witnesses are dead or removed, and the criminal is turned loose upon society, emboldened in crime by his success in eluding the penalty of the law. And the lawyer, instead of being ashamed of himself as an abettor of crime, prides himself on his cleverness.

A man was recently hanged in San Francisco who had been a heavy tax on the city for several years, though his guilt was beyond question. We do not care to repeat the story of his crimes, but his own confession proved that he was unfit to live in civilized society. After repeated convictions, an appeal was made to Governor Stoneman to stay the execution. This failing, a last appeal was made to Chief-Justice Morrison to interfere, evidently with the hope to complicate matters so as possibly to let the convict escape. This also failed; and we honor these two officers for their decision.

And then followed an incident which we record with shame. On the morning of the execution a woman applied to the Sheriff for the privilege of marrying the felon! Very sensibly he told her he would have no such nonsense there. Is it any wonder that crime abounds? The vilest sinners are made to feel that they are heroes, the proper objects of sympathy, and every one is assured that the gallows is the open gate to heaven! Such mawkishness is sickening.