The New York Herald, of January 5th, contained a communication on the Zell murder case that not only misrepresents the facts but is a direct implication of this community, and represents them as thirsting for the blood of this poor, unfortunate woman. The parties who have undertaken to try the case over again in the public journals of New York and Philadelphia, we think, have made a grand mistake, and when the Herald insinuates that our people desire prominence by hanging a woman, or that judges and lawyers in the country districts of this state can convict a suspected person on any sort of testimony, it greatly errs in its estimate of the character and intelligence of our people. The misrepresentations made in the New York Herald are rehearsed the day following in the Philadelphia Times and Lancaster Intelligencer, showing that there is a systematic effort being made, not only to influence the decision of the supreme court, but also to have its effect on the trial of Wynkoop, who will be arraigned next week, charged with the same crime.
    In these communications the Schoeppe case has been made to take a prominent position. Now if there is any one thing of which this community is convinced, it is that the end of justice was defeated when Schoeppe escaped the halter, for a more consummate villain never walked the earth. Any reference to this case in connection with the Zell murder is calculated to work an injury, rather than benefit the prisoner. It has also been represented that a public meeting was to have been held by our citizens on the 6th inst. What does the counsel for the defence expect to accomplish by circulating or permitting to be circulated such falsehoods? Nothing of the kind has been contemplated.
    The charge of the court, which was published at the time in these columns, was considered an able and impartial resume of the evidence, and the jury as intelligent and conscientious as could well be called together. Our people with one accord sympathize and pity this woman, and would not feel aggrieved if the supreme court grants a new trial. But these unjust aspertions [sic] upon the character of the court, upon our people, and upon the administration of justice in this county, are so manifestly false and uncalled for that the tendency will be to defeat rather than promote the object intended to be accomplished. We are sorry that a duty we owe to truth, justice and the community compels us to make any reference to this matter at this time.

Source:

Unknown, "The Zell Murder Case," Valley Sentinel, Carlisle, Pa., Friday, 9 January 1880, page 4, col. 1.