Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1893-03-30
MIR. COLES CURIOUS PLEA.
His Twenty-FIrst Child's Illness Excused
Him From Jury Duty.
New York Press.1


William j. Cole, real estate mer-
chant at No. 81 Broadway, was ex-
cused from jury duty by Judge Truax
in supreme court, Part L., yesterday
ON original and interesting plea. When
he answered to his name he said: 81
would like to beexcused, Your Honor.
My nineteenth child has the Group and
my twenty first child, an eight-months-
old baby, is not feeling very WELL"
Judge Truax looked at him with
interest. ''Have you had twenty-one
children ?" he askei.
"I have had twenty-one sons and
daughters" he replied.
"Any man who had twenty-one chill
dren ought to be excused" said the
| Judge and he wrote on the back of the
mans subpoena: Excused on ac-
count of the sickness of his nineteenth
child and because his twenty first child
is unwell."
Mr. Cole lives at No. ss5 Columbus
| avenue. He is tall and stout and
bears his sixty odd years well. His
hair is gray. but he looks rugged and
hearty. He was surprised last night,
when a Press reporter called at his
house to ask after IKE health of his
interesting family. He told his story,
but said that he would rather keep
his name out OF the papers.
He was born in Putnam county, n.
| ~
Chauncey NJ. Depew. He says that he
heard the first speech ever made by
that prince OF after-dinner speakers
and asserts that it gave promise o.
looming greatness. Mr.. Coles father
had three wives, but only one child
His maternal grandfather, however
had eleven children, while his paterna
grandfather, who was a Baptist minis
ter, had the pleasure of baptizine
twelve OF his own children.
Mr.. Cole has twice married and thu
second wife is still living. He was frs
married in May, 1856 and his frs
child was born in June, 1859. By hi
first wife he had ten children and by
his second, whom he married thirteer
: years ago, he has eleven. He has haC
} twins only once. They were by hi
second wife and died before the,
learned to walk. He begged to be ex
: cused from giving the names and date
, of birth OF all OF his children as hi
memory was treacherous about sucl
fittle details and his family Bible IL
which he had kept the record was de
: stroyed by fire which consumed tn
: old family homestead in Virgins
/ shortly after the war. He has onl.
eight children living.
; Mr.. Cole is well off in this world
goods, having two plantations in Vii
= ginia, some real estate in New Jerse.
and other property. At the time c
4 the draft riots in this city he was
policeman. He saw bloodshed enoug
. then to last him a lifetime, as he wa
!, one of the six or eight to be chosen 10
, the most important and exposed pc
E sitions. He helped to defend a hous
!. that was attacked, carried two OF hl
!, comrades, who were nearly suffocatec
out OF a burning building which ha
been fired by the mob, and when d.
Tending a fellow policeman from attac
by a vicious ruffian he was struck b
shower of stones, one OF which brok
his hip, one his shoulder blade, an
another came within an ace OF crusi
ing his skull. Mr.. Cole says his broke
bones left touch OF rheumatism as
Ie souvenir of those trying times, an
j. that whenever a storm is brewing /
10 can feel it in his injured hip an
shoulder.