Explaining why he had not applied for a change of venue, he said, "I felt that since the Reverend Cowan, the minister of the Methodist church, and a man of substance here, a man of high standing, as well as many other ministers here, had expressed themselves against capital punishment, that at least the leaven had been cast in the area, and there were likely more people here inclined to be lenient in the matter of the penalty than perhaps in other parts of the state.
Auzitegi aldaketa zergatik ez zuen eskatu argitzeko, esan zuen: -Iruditu zitzaidan Cowan Agurgarria, Eliza Metodistako pastorea eta hemen eragin handiko gizona dena, eta hura bezala beste zenbait artzain heriotzazigorraren aurka agertu zirenez gero, gutxienez legamia inguruotan zabaldua zegoela, eta heriotza-zigorrari zegokionez, errukior izateko jende gehiago izango zela seguru aski hemen, estatuko beste zenbait lekutan baino.