The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-01-19
MINNESOTA NEWS.
THE COX IMPEACHMENT CASE.

TRIAL OF Judge f. ST. Julien Cox by the State
Senate Sitting a. High Court Of lmpeach.
ment on Charges Preferred by the House of
Representatives.
On Tuesday 1Oth, Lent Gov. Charles A. Gil
man brought his gayel down and called the SEN
ate TO order. He then stated that both the ser
geant- alarms and his assistant were absent on
duty. and on motion OF Senator Crook, the chair
appointed A. H. Bertram to acc "a sergeant-at-
arms pro tempore and that gentleman was at
once sworn in. A quorum was present.
The specific charges Of the prosecution We're
read. They were specifications undor articles
seventeen and twent7 made pursuant to the
and the places were the otfenses charged in
said articles were committed.
The whole day was occupied in preliminary
speeches by counsel and in debate by members
Of the court
On Wednesday the 18th, Manager Hicks
opened for the prosecution. 1t was scathy re-
viewofthe alleged conduct of Cox at Waseca,
New Uinl, and Their places, while he was on
and of the bench, which will be sustained by
testimony. The first witness was s. w. Ora
Cox was under the influence Of liquor, he
would not say drunk, while holding court at
Fairmont, Martin county. F. Wallaston,
merchant at Fairmont testified that Cox drank
hard there and created an impression in his
mind that Cox was drunk. J. L. Higgins
IL
He was last witness. The proceedings were
very dry and tedious.
On Thursday the 12th j. A. Emret Of Fair
mount, Martin county, said he thought Cox WAS
confused by liquor at that place +. s. Liver
more, of the same place, was OF the opinion
S ds Ga a been s nan e. Th s ap n the
drunkenness between the 2ith of March and
the 9TH of April, 1879, while engaged in the
trial of causes at Waseca, Waseca county, was
taken up. Robert Taylor, OF Kassory, Dodge
of April and gave reasons. B. 8. Lewis, law
yer Of Waseca, saw Cox when he thought he
was totally incapacitated for performing his
duties as judge. J. r. Hayden Of Waseca,
clerk of the court, thought Cox was unable to
Blowers Of Vases, saw = Cox intoxicated, saw
him drink, and that he was taken homo from
saloon. s. L. Pierce, st. Paul lawyer, saw
Cox drunk on the bench at New Ulm-we. the
lawyere) all treated him as totally irresponsi-
bic person; We found that Judge Cox was on a
spree, and not fit for business; we agreed, that
if Cox was not better in the morning, we would
go into tho land office and get an amanuensis to
take down all the points; next morning Judge
Cox came into court. and was apparently en-
tirely under the influence Of liquor, and I'M
qualified to act a. judge.
On Friday the 18th, s. L. Pierce, on the stand
the day before i'd repeat emphatically the
testimony gave before the house committee
when said, "Judge Cox wss crazy drunk. ="
Judge Thomas Wilson of " mona was called
IN Article which is the charge relative to
to try this case. This point viii BE- pressed, il
necessary, in arrest of judgment. But I expect
you, gentlemen Of the jury. to Justify the act. You
are here to yndicate my inspiration, But would
have done if any ti1ne after June If had known
was to be shot dead the next moment had no
power to prevent it, My free agency
was DESTROYED. was under duress: In
for his act On this ground I ask you to acqqit
me. How do we know you was under duress? MY
word for it. No one else can know the fact, but
had to do my duty to Deity and to the American
people, regardless of consequences to myself. No
wants to shoot or hang me nov now save few
ssans or Ws it I'm Gerd dd S0P let
60. The president did not die before his time If
departed. Physical Deaths nothing. Allmen have
to die. All men will die. The president might
have been taken BY a railroad accident Or slipped
on orange peel and broken his neck; The uter-
in in" my favor. I talked with him freely
about Duty, my INSPIRATION and the political sit
July 2 when was precipitated into removing the
president. vasl deal of rubbish has got into this
case On both sides. The issue here is who fred
that shot: duty or me- Had 1 fired it on my own
NO PUNISHMENT WOULD BE TOO QUICK
OF too severe for me, and this is why
protected myself by going to Jail and having na-
tional troops ordered out. I would humbly sug.:
gest that the jury be charged as follows: That it
they believe that believed it was right for me- to
remove the president because had special divine
authority for so doing, they, will acquit on tho
ground that was overpowered by the Diety.
After quoting Beecher. Taluage and other
clergy, and declaring that when he became
president in 1884 he weuld clean out woman's
rights speedily, he closes thus to the jury:
70 hang man In my mental condition on July 2,
when fired on the president, would be lasting
daughters Of the republic are praying that you
yindicate my inspiration I beg YOU do not get de-
Tor your own sakes and for the sake of the Ameri-
people, and for the sake Of generations unborn.
that you let this case alone. You cannot afford to
touch it. Let your verdict be that it was duty &C
tuated me. When the president was shot his cabi-
net telegraphed to foreign nations that it the
act of mailman and it will be better every way that
it be officially decided that it was the act of mad.
man.