Wisconsin Tribune

From the Milwaukee Daily Sentinel.

The Acquittal of Ratcliffe.

A painful shock was given to the public confidence in the efficiency of the law to protect right and punish wrong by the announcement, yesterday morning, that the Jury in the case of William R. Ratcliffe, indicted for the murder of David Ross, had, after five hours deliberation, brought in a verdict of Not Guilty. The intelligence, as it circulated through our city, was received everywhere with unfeigned astonishment and almost everywhere with unqualified and unsparing condemnation. The zeal and ability of the Counsel for the Defence and a few minor discrepancies in the evidence had led some to doubt whether the Jury could agree upon a verdict: but few, if any, of the interested and attentive thousands who had followed the case through, from its commencement to its close, dreamed of the possibility of the Prisoner's acquittal. The mass of our community confidently and rightfully, expected a verdict of Guilty and we should be as derelict in our duty, as we think the Jury were in theirs if we did not pronounce their decision a travesty of Justice.

It was through no fault of the public Prosecutor that this unlooked for result was reached. The case had been most ably and faithfully prepared. The Grand Jury, with praiseworthy diligence, devoted two weeks last year to a most thorough investigation. Deputy Sheriff Page was indefatigable in his efforts to get out every particle of evidence that could bring to light the perpetrator of the bloody deed. Mr. District Attorney Butler tried the case with consummate skill and had the aid and advice of one of the first lawyers in the West, E. G. Ryan, Esq. Judge Hubbard, who presided, held the scales of Justice with a firm and impartial hand, explained the law to the Jury fairly and intelligently, and finally committed the case to their hands in a charge which is a model of its kind. To all this the Defence had nothing to oppose but the professional skill and zealous exertions of two eminent Counsel, and the chance of a flaw in the chain of circumstantial evidence produced by the prosecution. And yet this straw has saved the Prisoner! "A man whom the whole community believes to be the cold blooded murderer of David Ross, a murderer for money, is let loose upon society, because a Jury of twelve men, presumed to be honest, intelligent and conscientious, set up the possibility of a doubt against the thousand strong damning, incontrovertible facts proved upon the trial and all pointing to the prisoner as the assassin. A Jury refuse to convict, although believing themselves, as everybody believes, the prisoner to be guilty, because they shrink from the responsibility of deciding, as Jurors, what they understand, believe and know as men. Is it any wonder that the community should be shocked and outraged by such a verdict? Is it any wonder that confidence in the Law should be shaken by such a result? Is it any wonder that faith in the integrity of juries, trust in the administration of Justice, the sense of security in life and property, under the protecting Egis of the Law, should all be disturbed, when Murder, premeditated mercenary Murder, thus walks abroad unwhipt of Justice, in our streets, and when the blood of the hapless victim, smoking up to Heaven cries aloud, but cries in vain, for Vengeance upon the Assassin?"