The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-06-26
The Poor Farm Cases.

l0eSSrS. MILLER ana W lLLlAMn 1huIoudF
pleaded guilty in the U. S. court to the in
dictments returned against them few
days ago growing out OF thevoting OF
paupers and idiotic inmates of the poor
farm at the last election. In their state
ments fled with the pleas of guilty, these
men set forth that they acted in good faith
and under legal advice at the election, and
had no intention of violating any law.
But as Judge WOoDs had instructed the
grand jury that their action constituted an
offense, and, as there was no controversy
as to the substantial facts, they pleaded
guilty in order te save the trouble and eX-
pense Of trial. Judge WOODS imposed
fines of $3.50 and costs against MILLER and
OF $50 and costs against WILLIAMS.
Their statements. prepared by clever
and diplomatic lawyers, must be taken IN
strictly Pickwickian sense. We have no
doubt that, as a matter of fact, the pleas
of guilty were entered because the de-
| PENDANTS knew perfectly well that, being
democrats. they could not get fair trial
| in Judge WooDs' court. But, of course,
the lawyers put their pleas on other
| grounds.
With all due respect to the able counsel
for the defendants, we think they ought
to have stood their trials "like little men"
1t was patriotic duty to do this. If the
idiots and paupers at the Marion
county poor farm voted illegally at
the last election, the idiots and paup-
ers at every poor farm in Indiana,
whether under republican or democratic
management, also voted illegally, and have
been voting illegally "from time i'm
memorial" We should like TO have had
decision from Judge WOODS to this
effect We should Ike to have seen the
statutes and authorities he would have
cited in support of such decision. And
then we should like to have seen the ex'
plantations Messrs. CHAMBERS and Cock
RUN would have made of their action IN
singing out couple OF democrats in this
county for prosecution, for doing what re-
publicans have been doing in this county
for wears, and what republicans did in al
the republican counties of the state last
November. The indictments against Nil
LER and WILLIAMS were, we understand
procured from a reluctant grand jury
by CocKRUN, upon the representation
that they would bring up the i'm
portant question of the right o
idiots and lunatics to vote, Tor judicia
settlement; that 1t was for this reason
only that he and Judge WooDs wanted in
| n hot he
would receive at most only nomina
punishment Judge WooDS. however
did not pass upon this question at all
He held the defendants guilty because
they had disregarded challenges, although
the statute plainly says that an inspecto
when he rejects the vote OF a person
whom he knows to have the qualification
imposed by law mental soundness is no
one OF them shall be heavily fined ant
otherwise punished. This, too, regardless
of challenges.
OF course, idiots and lunatics should no
be permitted to vote. That is a PROPOSE
ton to which every reasonable persol
will agree. But the problem has been t
provide some sure and safe test of idioc
and lunacy. The problem was not solve
by the trainers of our constitution. The
did not close the doors against the abus
of voting these unfortunate creature:
fearing that by so doing they would ope
the way for other and greater abuses
The problem, however, is solved by tin
new law. No idiots or lunatics will, Q
can. be voted under that law.