The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-04-13
The Legi,Iat ure II ftcr Judge Van Trump

4
From the Cincinnati Commercially 5
Columbus letter of the 8th inst, we
cut the following:
CHARGES AGAINST A JUDGE.
Mr.. Stevenson presented tho follow
ing Memorial:
TO the General Assembly Of tho State
Of Ohio:
Your mcmorialist, Charles Miller, Of
the County Of Fairfield, and State Of
Ohio,rcspcctiully represents and com,
plains THAT PhiIqdcIphus Van Trump,
Judge Of the Court Of Common Pleas
Of the Seventh Judicial District, has
been guilty OF such conduct as renders
him unfit to retain his position as q
Judge, in this--that on tho 10th day of
February, 1864, one John Sec, Of Fair
fold County, murdered two soldiers in
the city OF Lancaster, Ohio; that one
Samuel Lantz, was charged with being
an alder and abcttor in the commission
of said offcnso and fed, as fugitive,
from Justice, and was concealed from
the officers OF the law in tho city Of
Columbus, Ohio, for the period Of scv.
eral days that said Judge Van Trump
was cognizant of the fact that said
Lantz was n fugitive from Justice, and
was with him, when concealed, rs his
counselot and advisor and Interested
himself in conccaling said fugitive, and
preventing his apprehension; that
your mcmoriaist was invited by sand
Judge together with one Simonton, of
Columbus, Ohio, to visit said fugitive,
Lantz, in his room, where he remained
concealed, in Columbus, and whore
your mcmorlalist heard said Judge adj
viso said fugitive, and counsel with
hm as to the probability of his being
convicted Of the oii1nse charged, and
give his opinion rs to his guilt; and al
so, heard the said Judge Van Trump
cay, in the room where said fugitive
was concealed, that, "il wo had in our
county n few moro like John See,
(thomurderer), the Abolitionsls reign
would soon be over in Lancastcr;'
that John SEQ is under indictment, in
tho Fairfield Court of Common Pleas,
for tho murder Of said soldiers, and
that said Judge Van Trump was, at
the timo Of the commission of said Of
fcnsc, presiding, and now prcsides,
over said Court, and will be tho Judge
to try said case, unless removed from
his Office; that in his decisions for con
tinuances, and preliminary motions
in said case, the said Judge has mani
Tested tho same partality and feelings
indicated in his remark heretofore
quoted. Your momorialst, therefore,
makes this complaint, and prays that
the General Assembly will take such
action, under tho Constitution Of tho
State, rs will occasion tho removal of
said Judge Van Trump from his judi
cial Office, in order that justice may
be fully dono in the above caso, and
in others of similar nature, pending
in said Court, over which said Judge
now prcsidcs
[S,gnod] CHARLES MILLER.
After somo discussion as to tho ma
ture Of proceedings demanded in re,
sponse to tho above memorial, it was
referred to . select committee of three
consisting Of Mossrs, Stevenson, West
and Lang, and the Sergoant-0t-arms
was directed to proceod, by tho first
train, to Lancaster, and present tc
Judge Van Trump copy Of tho ac'
cus0tion and statement Of the action
Of the Senate in the premises.
i Tho Judge Van Trump above refer,
red to, is tho same one who recently
decided that the stealing to the amoun
Of s35 in greenbaciss was only petit
larceny, as tho grccnbacks were no
worth their par value.