Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-05-05
coxef on TRIAL.
The ersai General and Aides In the PoIies
Court at washington.

WAsHNGfos, May 4.-Jacob S. Coxey,
Commander OF the Commonwesl of Christ,
Carl Browne, its CHEF marshal, and Christie
pher Columbus Jones, leader of the Phila'
delphix contingent of the army of peace,
were tried in the city police court today on
the charge of violating the-U tied Sntes
statutes in unlawfully dispisyirg bAnne,
m the CAPITOL grounds and In breaking
shrubs and plants there.
Andrew Lipscome, who had been re-
tanned by the defendants, opened the case
BY fling . m0tion TO qussh the indlctmen,
against the defendants on the ground that
the law und,r which they we're charged was
void in that it prohibited the constitutional
right of petition for redress of grievances
ahd conferred on the Speaker of the House
and the President of the Senate certain
prerogatives contrary to the constitution.
Alexander Mutlowney, assistant U. S.
district attorney, followed with an amended
Indictment v HIGH charged ,Coxey, Brow ne
and Jones with simply stepping upon the
turf in the Capitol grounds instead of injur.
sng shrubs and plants, IN addition to the
many charges of carrying a banner into the
Capitol reservation. MIR. Mullowney told
the court that Mr.. A. A Birpey, U. S. dis
trict attorney, would represent the govern
ment, and a minute later he entered fol-
lowed by Citizen Coxey.
Samuel Hymar, who appeared for
Brown and Jones, filed a motion to quash
he case on the ground that the information
~as bad in subsistence. This occasiOned q
discussion on the questi IN whether the two
statutes in regard 10 trespass on the Capitol
grounds were not conflicting
1t was held by the defence that the police
court had no Jurisdiction in such matter.
In behalf of the defence their attorney SAID
that it was not forbidden to do the things
charged in the information, even in the
District of Columbia.
The motion to overrule was denied and
Repr. sentative Pence of Colorado, notined
the court that he would defend Co1ey
Lipscomb made motion for the severance
of the cases on the ground that the various
offences charged against Coxey and Browne
occurred at a different plsce and time, but
this was also oyerruled by Judge Miller,
and an appeal was noted. Recess was then
taken,
Assistant District Attorney Mullowney
addre sstd the jury explaining the charges
against Coxey, Browne and Jones, and the
law applicable to the charges. Detective
Horn Washington, detailed to watch
Coxey's army was called as a witness. He
testified that he joined the army at Han,
cock, Nd, under the name of Edward
Howe. He made investigations as to what
arms were carried by the men, but it wa'
not ascertained if Coxey had weapons
The witness said in Coxey's speeches along
the route he never heard any expressions
Of violence or threats tending to lncite the
people, and it is generally understood thai
Coxey's intention was to aid the unem
ployed. Coxey told him he was going to
make a speech on the Capitol steps.
Sergeant Slattery, Metropolitan police
force, detailed at Brightwood, D. c., where
the army first csmped, was called. Said,
as far as he knew, all the damage to the
shrubbery in the Capitol grounds was done
by citizens, who rushed across the lawn to-
ward the Capitol buildings when Coxey
was escorted from the steps. Coxeys mer
outside the grounds did not break ranks
Major Moore. chief of police, stated tha1
he gave permit to parade, but the per
init denied Coxey permission to marcf
through the public reservations. He tole
Coxey that he could not speak on the Capi
tol grounds, and Coxey replied that as th'
schedule had been carried out so far, he in
tended to complete it. Court, at four ad
journed until tomorrow at 10.