Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-12-24
A La Romance !.
Reads the Career Of 4.
P. Mcknight for a
Year Past.
After a Deeply Interesting
Trial OF Two Days, Judge
DOnnelly
GIVES HIM LIBERTY !
The Decision Of the Court Pred
iCated Solely on the Law,
Giving General Salts
faction.

Mears, which closed shortly after dinner
Wednesday afternoon, James Donovan sub
mitted an argument of great forensic abil-
ity adding materially to the legal points
made by Campbell, the other attorney for
the plainti8.
R. s. Parker spoke the balance of the day
on behalf of the state, and court adjourned
until Thursday morning.
Mcknight then closed the argument in
one of the most powerful pleas. based on
good law, that was ever made in this coun-
ty. The man, with the incentive of Liberty,
after months of confinement, was endowed
with power to argue that surprised even
his friends while his enemies acknowledged
defeat long before he had done.
The Judge reserved his decision until Ia
ter, ordering Sheriff Bryant to take the
prisoner in charge and remain in Napole-
on until the decision was arrived at.
This was given Thursday morning.
In reviewing the case the Judge main
tanned that whether or not the prisoner was
guilty Of the crimes charged, it was neither
the province nor duty of the court to con-
slider; that instead, two propositions only
were before the court. viz: "Has this court
jurisdiction in the case ? -; and ''Is the pris
oner held as such unlawfully ~
| At some length and with citations of au-
thority in sustaining his standpoint, he de-
cided both questions in the affirmative and
discharged the prisoner from further Gus
tody.
The decision was received with applause
and the lawyers here as unit pronounce II
wholly compatible with the law.
Mcknight, Sheriff Bryant and Attorney
Mears left for Bowling Green, Thursday
afternoon where no doubt there is much
gnashing of motors on the part of the
gang of scheming vampires who seem tc
have been actuated in the persecution Of
this man through motives of political re-
venge.
From the time of his arrest the conditions
that surrounded his case would make ma
terial for first class novel.
The scene is in county wherein mar
bearing the complexion of a Democrat, i
looked upon through spectscles of intense
implacabe and Eugiene Sue hatred; bail
iwick prolific in personages we'll equippe'
to do the heavy villain part. Not that ther
i, is any reflection herein intended to be cas-
on the judges who tried the case; quite tn
" contrary. But that the facts concerning tn
Y case we're either suppressed or grossly mis-
:. represented. there is but little reason t
doubt,
: In oashing the draft given to him as a
t attorney, members of the bar here stat
that Mcknight did no more than hundred
of attorneys do every day as a means c
: self-protection. He neither kept nor il
8 tended to keep the mortgage or money; an
before the former could be turned over,
was indicted.
After he was confined in the penitentiar
Y the unjust treatment was close pursuer.
a Realizing that he was unlawfully COZ
fined, it was his purpose not to let the ma
l. ter rest until it was submitted to the higt
e est tribunal in the state. In doing this,
|. was confronted by almost insurmountab
obstacles. When he asked for paper he W,
Z refused with threats of the ''humming bird
It and other punishments. But the oficia
" found in the end that brains cut muc
' wider and deeper swathe IN this world
makeup than brute force, swaggering mai
= ner, villainous threats and disgusting pr
n family.
The prisoner was assigned duty as bool
L keeper in the patent manufacturing dep
70 Every lot of paper given him was fir
a counted. By economizing he was enable
to save half sheet from each letter write
On these scraps the brief was compile
)f Without any assistance and surround,
n by the most harrass!ng obstacles he submit
y ted his brief, procured temporary releat
l. argued bis case single handed, and secur
y a discharge, knocking out Parker and t
a. attorney general, and establishing prec
dent in law
y He claims that he has redress and W
AS begin suit for damages against all who
any way were instrumental in his false il
Vi prisonment.