Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-05-10
A VERDICT OF CONVICTION.
Coxey, Browne and Jones All De-
olared Guilty.

Jones, However, Escaped on the Charge
of Walking OH tho Grass = An Appeal
Taken aud the End is Not Yet.
WAsHINGToN, May 5.-There was a
falling off in the attendance Of Cen
gressmen on the trial of the Common
veal leaders, which was resumed in
Judge Miller's police court to-day.
First on the witness stand came
officer Law of the police force, who
had accompanied the professions. Ac-
cording to his story both Browne and
Coxey had run across the grass and
shrubbery. Two mounted police had
stopped Browne by the time he had
arrived within % yards of the Capitol
steps, and after u struggle had over
powered him, the witness wrestling from
Browne the banner and staff of the
latter.
Representative Pence created some
thing of sensation by declaring that it
was evident the court was endeavoring
to help the prosecuting officers out of a
hole from which they had shown abso-
lutte incapacity to lift themselves.
Can you show any improperly in
the questions?" asked the judge.
IL can object that the questions are
absolutely improper and leading" re-
sponded Mr.. Pence.
Judge Miller declared, with consider
able show of warmth, that it was his
privilege and sworn duty to elicit all
the facts in the matter.
Mr.. Libscomb protested that it would
be well for the judge to instruct the
jury that lie had no desire either to con-
Wet or acquit the defendants, to which
Judge Miller responded that he assumed
the jury knew that. 1t appeared from
further questions that tho officer could
not tell whether Coxey and Browne
had injured any bushes or had walked
on the grass.
Mr.. Pence asked some questions of
the officer which showed that although
he was recorded as the complainant in
the case he had not entered any COM
plant. He could not tell how it hap
pened that charges of disorderly con-
duct and assault had been entered
against Browne and afterwards with
drawn.
JONES WAS VERY LARGELY GIN IT."
Capitol Architect Clark was next
produced and exhibited a plan of the
Capitol grounds.
Officer +. d. Aldridge appeared to
clear away the mystery which has sur
rounded the circumstances under which
little old Christopher Columbus Jones
of Philadelphia managed to get himself
arrested. Mr.. Jones swelled with i'm
portance when his name was mentioned
and the officer explained that he had
"interfered" as the police were trying to
arrest Browne.
excitedly that it was an outrage on an
American citizen. The officer had showed
Jones back, but the Philadelphia had
returned to the attack and had been
gathered in with his banner of peace.
Officer Murphy testified that he had
been stationed on the Capitol grounds
with orders to prevent any organization
from parading there or any persons from
carrying banners. Browne broke in
flourishing banner, the officer said,
and SO he had arrested him.
Congressman Hudson of Kansas, who
had not been announced as an attorney,
clipped in at this stage to cross. examine
Mr.. Murphy. He produced a complaint
against Coxey signed by the officer.
"You signed this affidavit, did not
your" the Congressman asked.
ayes sir"
Sand you did not sec Coxey there2"
"No sir"
"But you signed an information
against Coxeyp"
~ can explain how that was"
81 want the facts, not explanations"
said the Congressman.
Then came another stalwart police
man, Sergeant John Kenney. He had
led the rear column of the COmmonweal
riding at the head of the Philadelphia
contingent in hanson cab.
The officer had seen Browne at
Brightwood drilling the men with their
peace "bannerettes," as the witness
called them, in such a drill as he had
never heard of before, although he was
an old soldier Jones had made wild
leap from the cab across the street. The
officer had commanded Jones' followers
to stand still, and they had done SO.
"Did you hear him make declaration,
statement or threat ?" inquired Mr..
Hudson.
"Mr. Jones was very quiet"
"Why did you tell his men to stand
still?"
awe were looking for trouble"
"Then, as a matter of fact, all the
trouble was between the citizens and
the officers ?"
"Most emphatically not"
"Can you name any other man who
made trouble?"
1--WE had understood that there would
be trouble" .=...z-....
JONES KEPT OFF THE GRASS.
Here juror asked some questions
about Jones, eliciting the fact that the
Philadelphian had not walked ON the
grass.
WAsHINGToN, May THE defence
had its inning to-day in the police court
trial where the three leaders of the
Commonweal, Coxey, Browne and Jones,
are on trial for their May day demon.
stration at the Capitol.
Young Attorney Hymen, who defends
Browne and Jones, made the opening
statement for the defence. There was
no denial or defence for what the Com
wealers had done, he began. The
defence would consist in the lawfulness
of their actions.
He could remember but one similar
occurrence in history, the attorney said,
and thereupon he produced Bible and
began to read scriptural passage.
II must object to that" interposed the
district attorney, "the gentlemen should
confine himself to the statement of
fact" .r
"Doos the attorney deny that this is a
fact?" demanded the young lawyer,
holding his Bible aloft dramatically.
He WAS nnrmittnd To rrncned md rnnh