Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-03-20

ID directed 10 me- 1 WUuiu Inv
the chair inquire of the gentleman
if be means me, when be speaks OF one
particular member of this House, TO
whom his communication was address
ed. l no not want the House to axe
up nv fights" "The chair will again
put the direct interrogatory," said the
Speaker, "and he expects a categorical
reply. l read from the charge etc.
"Did you or did you not?' al wrote
it, certainly, but I did not" Here the
gavel came down. "The chair only de-
sires a categorical answer to his in
terrogatory," said the Speaker.
DR.. Munckton, of Carson, rose and
said that he thought if the gentleman
from Storey had any extenuatiug re-
marks to offer, he should be permitted
to present them. Mr.. Jones, Of Esma-
rora, concurred. 1t was then suggest
ed that it would be better to have the
question asked Lissak: "Are you gull
ty or not guilty" The suggestion was
at once favorably received by the Chair,
who Immediately thereon said: "The
| Chair will proceed to read the charge to
the gentleman from Storey, and then he
will answer guilty or ''not guilty
care you going to read the charge
again, for Gods sake I" piteously ex-
| claimed st. Clair, in his seat. The
"Chair" disdained to notice this soto
voes remark, if he heard it, which he
probably did not, for be appeared alb
sorbed in counting over the "charge =
which he now proceeded to read. Con-
| Guiding the reading, Speaker Ferguson
said care you, OF are you not, guilty
as charged in this indictment 7" "Let
me understand that" said Mr.. Lissak ;
az don't know how much | might &C
knowledge, if I said equity" to that.
I am 'guilty'-if you call it 'guilty'-of
writing the letter. l don't deny that.
But I had no intention"-'Rap, rap
went the gavel. "Of the intention of
the article the House will judge. You
say you don't know how much you may
acknowledge to, if you plead guilty to
this entire charge. I will read it again.
And again 1t was read. 81 am guilty
of writing the letter." said Lissak-
"that l don't deny. But" "That's
sufficient" said the Speaker. "That's
enough" said several members. It was
then suggested or moved that Mr.. Lis
SAX retire, under custody Of the Ser
geant-at-Arms, while the Assembly de-
termined on the quality of and punish
ment for his guilt. The Speaker order
ed the Sergeant-at-Arms to conduct
Lissak to another room. Deputy-Ass't.
| Sergeant-at-Arms, Dave Williams, ap-
preached Lissak, laid his hand gently
| on the shoulder Of the accused, and babe
him come At this point some one
suggested that under the rule, it was OPP
| tional with the prisoner whether he re-
tired or remained, during deliberations
on his case. Whereupon the Speaker
| withdrew his former directions to the
Sergeant-at-Arms, and Lissak was al
lowed to retain his seat. Had he been
taken out, there is no doubt that an ex-
polling motion would have been imme-
diately made and carried. Being per-
mitted to remain, Lissak rose and said {:
"Nir. Speaker, l desire to have counsel
to defend me in this case. / am not
able to speak very we'll l can write,
but to speak l cannot do very well. |
therefore desire counsel in my case, and
will name Judge Baldwin and Mr.. Seely
as my lawyers, and request them to come
inside the bar" The Speaker said
"The gentleman from Storey, Mr.. Lis
SAX, asks the privilege of counsel. The
question is: Shall the gentleman from
Storey, Mr.. Lissack, be allowed coun-
SELF" Mr.. St. Clair rose and said "Mr.
Speaker, I am no lawyer, but it seems
to me that after a man has plead "guil-
ty," there is no more call for legal ad-
vice or assistance. Inever heard before,
Of trying q man after he had confessed
to the truth of the indictment. I don't
know what the object a be in this
case, unless you want to prove that he
(Lissak) hasn't told the truth when he
says that be is guilty of writing the let
ter in the Enterprise signed with his
name" Here Judge Baldwin and Mr..
Seely came inside the Bar, and took
seats beside Mr.. Lissak. Mr.. Lissak at
once rose and said he desired to have
the charge read to him again. The Chair
said he would again read the charge, la
groan from st. Clair j and he begged
the gentleman from Storey, Mr.. Lissak,
to pay particular attention to it. The
Speaker read the charge; and asked
Mr.. Lissak: "Are you guilty or not
guilty?" Mr.. Lissak said at first, that
he would read his reply, and then he
said be would send up his reply, in writ
ing, to the Clerks desk, which he pro-
ceeded to do.
Mr.. Wheeler inquired if the reply was
in the handwriting of Mr.. Lissack. The
Speaker told the Clerk to hand him the
paper that had been sent up; which, on
mental reading, he declared not to be
an answer to his "interrogstory." Mr..
Julien here moved that the Assembly
be cleared of all except members Of the
House. The motion was put though
there was objection raised, and many
"noes" on the vote. The Sergeant-at-
Arms was about to proceed to clear the
Assembly, in accordance with the mo-
ton, when DR.. Munckton and others
rose and stated that they desired to give
the accused the privilege Of presenting