The Morning News in a trenchant leader pointed out the danger to which Western Canada was exposed from the presence of these semibarbarous peoples from Central and Southern Europe, and expressed the hope that the authorities would deal with the present case in such a manner as would give a severe but necessary lesson to the lawless among our foreign population.
There was, indeed, from the first, no hope of acquittal.

Staunton, who was acting for the Crown, was convinced that the prisoner would receive the maximum sentence allowed by law.

And even O'Hara acknowledged privately to his solicitor that the best he could hope for was a life sentence.

"And, by gad! he ought to get it! It is the most damnable case of bloody murder that I have come across in all my practice!" But this was before Mr.O'Hara had interviewed Mrs.Fitzpatrick.
In his hunt for evidence Mr.O'Hara had come upon his fellow countrywoman in the foreign colony.

At first from sheer delight in her rich brogue and her shrewd native wit, and afterward from the conviction that her testimony might be turned to good account on behalf of his client, Mr.O'Hara diligently cultivated Mrs.Fitzpatrick's acquaintance.