Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1893-10-13

by his remark he had not intended to init.
mate that unfair means had been taken to
secure those sevcnty-tive votes.
Mr. F. H. Register opened for the state
and in brief speech outlined the reasons
upon which, from the evidence, the state |
claimed verdict of guilty,
Then Attorney Phllbrick--happy, good
natured ssciablc "PhiP'-procccded to
do the eloqucnce act. Many were aston.
ished when he began his plea with the
assertion that violation of the Election
Crimes Acts" were general that other
laws were violated and for that reason
his client should 20 free. He then turned
his attention to the editor of the Record,
and for the first time since he passed
from parental restraint that individual
had the peculiar experience of being
talked at without being able to talk (or
priut) back. He claimed that the money
had been given in good faith to the
church, but that Streeter had gone down
there and scared the Russians into giving
back the money. In this The lawyer was
apparently ignorant or forgetful of the
fact that Strceter had advised the Rus
SLAMS, on the day after the money was
given TO them, to use it as fund with
which to celebrate the Christmas holi
days. Furthermore, common sense--the
alleged foundation of all law-must sure
" have whispered to the learned coun
sellor that the cuustlcss surrender of am
munition captured from the enemy would
not be apt to gladden. the heart of one
who had reason to believe that SAID am
munition might be again used against
him. Mr.. Phibrlck also found cause for
complaint in the fact that the clerk of the
court hal administered the oath to Wit
nesscs Van Beck, Lock, Cotton and Brin.
'Ile in Il basso profundo tone of voice,
and that he had occasionally whispered IN
Lawyer Registers ear. "Phip' did not
quote at all from commonwealth OF
Kentucky vs.. William Yates" But he
handled the case for all there was IN it,
In MIR. Registers closing speech for
the state he handled the witnesses for the
defense without gloves. He pointed ou,
the many inaccuracies and contradictions
which had been drawn out under the fire
of his mcrclcss cross-exalnination, and
claimed that Lock, Cotton and Brindle
were bribers by their own confession, and
that the court would be justified in a,
once ordering them under arrest. GAS
the clerk of this court" SAID he, twas
! nne of tie three men whom the bribers
expected to defeat when they attempted
10 buy the RUSSIAN vote. he has cause
to be interested In the outcome Of this
case. And. after listening to the testi-
| monY of the defendants witnesses, l will
say that, if the angel Gabriel had been
here, he would have been justified in ad
nlnisttrng the oath to them through his
trumpet" In referring to the attempt OF
Mr.. Phllbrick to show that the sancti,y
of the ballot was of no great consr-
quence, Mr.. Register SAID that the flag
and free ballot had been the objects of
too much sacrifice on the part of the
American people to lightly permit them
10 he outraged.
When Mr.. Register had finished, Judge
| Winchester proceeded TO deliver as fair q
Charge to the jury US was ever heard in
any court.
The jury then filed out of the room and
began their final walk to the jury room,
down town. Shortly after their depart
| (nil R..lI nd nd IN.
formed the judge that the jury had
agreed upon verdict. 1t was just about
half an hour from the time they left The
court room until the bailiff appeared and
announced that they had agreed. The
jury having come into court the judge
asked if they had agreed upon verdict.
1--WE have" replied Foreman Dean
And, in response to the question by
Judge Winchester as to its nature, the
foreman replied, Guilty as charged IN
the indictment"
Friday morning Henry Van Beck was
called up for sentence. which Was thai
lie pay fine of 800 and stand committed
uutil paid.
Van had but $50 with him. So Sheriff
Mahaney allowed him to 20 down to his
home at Westfeld to get 1t.
| As will be seen by Il perusal of the laws
quoted ut the beginning of this article,
the judgment carries with it the Gusts iu
the Case and vacates the Office of commits
soner IN the Third district, besides pre-
Guiding Mr.. Van Beck from voting or
holding Office hereafter. This last pen
al,y--permanent isfranchlsement-ls de-
sired by very few with whom the writer
has conversed, and it was not generally
known while the trial was in progress
that such law existed. The attorneys
who were in town during court v ere not
prepared to say just how Mr.. Van Beck
could have his civil rights restored, but a
special act of the legislature would do it,
aud it is not likely that any one would
oppose it. We believe petition gene.
rally signed could be forwarded from
tins county. asking judge, governor or
legislature - whichever may have the
power--to abatc the excessive punish
ment of lifelong disfranchisemcnt. An
example and no, sacrifice is asked.
| *x*
Even by members of the jury who sat
on the case, the Record has heard expires.
sions of regret that Van Beck allowed
himself to be used as u cat's-paw in the