Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-25
sT.PErERLErrER.

Sessto's of Conrt---I Remarkable Criminal
Trtal---A Man Convicted of Assnult Upon.
Els Daughter.
TO the Editor Of the Globe.
The district court has been in session here
during the last ten days, and was by far the
most important held here for many years.
There are over forty civil cases on the calen-
dar, one in which the Winona & st. Peter
railroad figures as defendant, and Michae
Young, plaintiff, who urges that the company
owes him $4,000, for killing his infant child,
last summer, and the notorious LOOMS wheat
ticket case, the McCue, and also tae Renyille
county rape cases, on the criminal
calendar. The first of criminal
suits referred to did not present
very broad face of criminality, nor yet
much caterwauling on the part of the prose-
cutrix even the lawyers, and judge,
failing to discover where the vSs maugor
came in, dismissed the prosecution. The
next case was that of the State against
Henry Knauft, sent here from Renyille
county. for trial. This cause excited deep
interest and intense feeling against the ac-
cused for the reason that the prosecutrix
was the daughter of the defendant, young
but fully developed girl of 16 or II years of
age. The charge involved the most serious
consequence to the defendant, if found
guilty, none less than lifelong sentence.
The prosecution was conducted with
marked ability by the county attorney of
Renville county-Mr. Miller-and the Hon.
M. G. Hanscome, our ex-judge. There was
considerable curiosity manifested by out
siders in watching the actions of both past
and present judges towards each other, as
this was the first appearance of the ex before
his honor the present, and nothing could be
perceived but that the relation between them
had always existed; if anything a greater de-
gree of Difference on the one hand, and
courtesy on the other, than is usually notice
able,
The evidence disclosed that the defendant,
the prosecutrix, a son of 8 or 10 years, and
hired man lived out on the prairies of Rem
vile county, some distance from neighbors,
and during one night in May the prosecutrix,
who was asleep with her brother, awakened
up and found the defendant in possession of
her person. The prosecutrix swore positive
resistance, nor did she awaken her
brother, or alarm the hired man
who slept short distance off
in stable, She made no complaint for
week or two afterwards and the court refus-
ed to permit a medical examination to prove
her present chastity, as she testified that she
was previously. Both the girl and her
sister swore to acts of previous severity and
cruel treatment on defendants part.
On the close of the case for the State, the
defendant, of his counsel, Arktamder g.
Griffin, OF Wllmar, moved for his discharge.
MIR. ALEXANDER spoke on the motion some
four hours, and with great ability commended
for the absurdity of the charge, supporting
1t by an array of authorities seemingly over
Whelmlng and convincing, and displaying
research seldom seen or heard in court of
Justice. The motion was overruled, and the
defendant testified as to the total falsity of
the charge. He also offered evidence of his
good character by number of his neigh
bors.
After most brilliant argument by the at
torneys, Judge Cox charged the jury very
infinitely as to their powers and the consid-
Grafton to be given the testimony. Com
menting on which generally, he said, if I
remember right, s:that testimony must be
of possible, probable and ra
t1onal nature, and conyincingly true
beyond a doubt upon which to
convict. That we believe it true, with all
due reverence, that virgin had given birth
to male child once, but it required great
many virgins to convince us of the truth
if such an event happened nowadays The
jury retired on Tuesday afternoon and re-
NAMED out until the next day at noon, when
they came in with verdict of guilty of an
assault with an intent to commit rape. A
motion for new trial has been made and
taken under advisement 1t can hardly be that
the conviction will stand, but altogether
it is most extraordinary tale, and either
shows depth of parental brutality and lust
on the one side, or fllial hatred and mali
clousness on the other that is unparalleled in
the annals of crime. I can not close vita
out remarking that Judge E. st. Julien Cox
has not disappointed his friends here in the
display Of his abilities as we'll read lawyer,
and surprised all by his demeanor and de-
clsion as a judge upon the bench.
, Business is picking up lively; the town is
full of teams; wood, pork, and wheat are
coming in freely over the splendid roads,
and no one wishes snow. Yours,
"ALERr."