Show THE ACQUITTAL the popular dissatisfaction with the result of the trial of odthe the amy stokes murder case has not appreciably preci ably abated the general judgment is that the verdict of acquittal was not justified by the evidence eviden ce not even by that of the defendant himself this case brings to mind that of john 11 1 1 burton who was shot down and instantly killed over a year ago in this city he was at the time unarmed his slayer was acquitted in that case the condemnation of the result was as in the present instance general at the time stokes was killed he was under arrest for disturbance of the peace two men had him in charge being one of them the unfortunate victim of MeMa anger WRO was unarmed while lethe the case evidently lacked some odthe of the elements of murder in its most aggravated form there was undoubtedly in our opinion a flagrant breach of the law on the part of the man who has been d discharged charged is A human being lost his life yet his slayer is allowed to go forth unscathed to shoot down another victim at any time when caprice or passion may prompt him to do so we fall fail to see where the law has been vindicated in this matter or the public safety sub served it is such laxity of legal administration that increases crime wherever it exists there is nothing in the case of the killing of john H burton or the later one of the slaying of charles stokes to act as a warning to any viciously disposed person inclined to imbrue his hands in the blood of a fellow creature are not these Ins instances tancos of immunity from punishment of persons who have been guilty of such grave deeds incitements to repetition the query is who is to be the next victim and who the next slayer to go soot scot free such a laxity in the administration of the law is greatly to be regretted it is not conducive to the welfare of the commonwealth but in our view is a fruitful means of propagating crime of a violent character in other parts of the country such instances lead to directly criminal acts on the part of an infuriated people who seeing that the law is not enforced against the takers of life assume on their own account those responsibilities which are outside the duly appointed and ledged channels and thus become criminals themselves fortunately here it is different the great I 1 ra majority arity of the people axe are peace loving and law abiding patient and tand long suffering being of this dispo disposition si tion they p prefer ref er tome to see wrong done to the detriment of the public welfare rather than endeavor to prevent it by the adoption of improper or illegal methods |