Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-08-28

0OV. hoBLNSON mas Just Deen brought before
Judge Cato's Court at Lecompton, on the old in
dictment of the Spring of 1856, for usurpation of
Office According to the accounts, this pretended
trial is one of the judicial outrages ever
perpetrated in a nominally free country. Gov
Robinson has always been ready for trial, and
urged it upon the government, but it has been
continued from term to term, against his will, to
the present time. A correspondent of the Trav.
sIIer, writing from Lawrence, says -
''At last, after this long and unjust DELAY, the
government declares itself ready for the trial.
But see the mockery of justice A law of the
territory provides that service uries shall be
equaliEed as nearly as practicable among'the cit
liens liable to be summoned on juries and all
officers shall avoid persons of ill-fame, ha5itual
idlers and vagabonds, and those who are under
the influence Of either party NoaO eoery one of
the jurors Summoned IN this case iUes at Lecomp-
ton. 1t is extremely questionable whether twelve
men can be fonnd in that ill.famed city, MAORI.
ty Of whom are not either idlers or vagabonds.
know myself that some of the Jury summoned
for this trial were drunk before breakfast on the
morning of the trial.
But it is notorious that Lecompton is the head
quarters of Border Rufianism, and only now
and then can man be found within its limits
who daTes to express himself in favor of a free
State.
The council for Mr.. Robinson objected to the
array Of the jury on the ground Of this palpable
Partially. The objection was immediately over
ruled by Judge Cato. But one of the worst fea.
lures of this trial is, that the officer had the eff
frontery to put ion the jury. the notorious Sher-
IN Jones-a Border Rufhan of the foulest
stamp-completely stepped in his prejudices
against free State men. Jones, however, was
peremptorily challenged At last, after the
Defendants list OF peremptory challenges was
exhausted, jury was made up and the cause
Cd 20 Awao 49, i u
witness, Mr.. Paten, formerly member OF the
Topeka Legislature. His testimony was very
brief, to the effect that the defendant had issued
message as Governor Of the State of Kanzas
de went on ito testify what were the contents of
that paper which he swore was printed The
objection OF the counsel, that 1.-THE contents of
printed paper could not be shown by panel, un.
less the paper itself was accounted for, was
overFuled. The witness, however, could not
recolleet much about the contents of the mes
sage, only that it recommended certain laws to
be passed by the Legislature.
This was the substance of his examination in
chief. On cross-examination he swore that
Gov. Robinson had told him, many times that
ne never intended to interfere with the territorial
government in any manner, and that the Topeka
organization could never be of binding force as
government of the people until it had received
vitality at the hands Of Congress-thus showing,
BY tae very nature Of the case, that he could not
have usurped any office.
Upon this testimony the case was submitted
to the jury, after argument by counsel and a
charge by the Judge violently against the de-
PENDANT.
The Lawrence correspondent of the Cincinnati
Ga=etts, writing on the 18th, says:
Governor Robinson returned from Lecompton
this evening. His trial in Cato's Court was con.
Guided about noon, and the case was submitted
TO the jury, who are all Lecompton men, and
pFo-slayery. They were out all the. afternoon.
put could not agree upon a verdict.
refhaps before morning, they may conclude
20 agree. The want of whiskey and corn bread
will doubtless cause them to come to some con-
clusion or Other in order to be released from the
confinement of the jury room"
"Jacobius," the correspondent of the st. Louia
Democrat. writes:
"a report from Lecompton states that ,ho
Jury stands six for conviction and six for aconit
The penalty for the offence is imn,,sorr...
for any time under year, and fine ~ an. .l
under five hundred dollars. ' sum
Gov. Robinson, il convicted, will refuse 70
pay '''u'e 70
The Boston Journal Of Thursday evening. in
reference to this prosecution, says.
Our dispatches state that the Gov.,u..
been acquitted, in spite Of the hostile malice .1 ~
Judge Cato and the adverse copstrnc,;on - az ~
Jury. Everything apparently was arrsnoed ~ ~
ms conviction VIGOROUSLY biased and ineonnss
tent jurors were empanneled, the Judges rulings
49, yus s - ven as insoleit, and the outeide
pressure q the immediate community was aoainst
him. But the plain principles OF tie case we've
TOO strong even for the twelve men selected ~
condemn him. We trust this Is tbe ast ~ ~ n
hear about these treason trials Tho sianai
failure OF this petty attema~ at persecution must
recoii uponit abettOrs with damaging efFect.n