Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-21

Mr.. Coxey made a brief speech in which
he said that this was the first time he had
ever been in a court to hear sentence. He
Has glad that on the first time he did ap-
pear he was innocent of the crime with
which he was charged. He had committed
mo offense- He did not ask for mercy. for
lie was not guilty. But he did ask for
Justice, and he reminded the court that II
was within his power to set aside a verdict
that ne knew was unjust, was the case
with this one.
Mr.. MuIIowney Asked n Jail Sentence.
Judge Miller asked il the prosecution had
anything to say. and Mr.. Mullowney spoke.
but very briefly. He asked for a Jail SEN
tence, not from any feeling of revenge. but
simply because there were memorable laws
which these men had violated. If a fine
were imposed it would be paid at once by
followers OF these men, deiuded people, and
not by the men who had committed the
onenSe; jail sentence. on the other hand,
would nave a deterrent effect upon others.
Mr.. Fences Plea.
Mr. Pence followed in a plea for a light
sentence. II these three men were let go,
he said. the whole Coxey movement would
die out In thirty days, while if they were
sent to Jail many people would believe that
they were punished for holding opinions
and the movement would receive unex-
pected life. If the men were fined it would
De PAID at once and he could assure the
district attorney that the poor people of
this city would not be called upon to pay
the fines.
Judge MiIIer's Remarks.
In imposing sentence Judge Miller said
that he was sorry that so much politics
had been lugged into this case. AL this.
however, had been done by the defense.
In its essential details IL did not differ
IN the slightest degree from many another
case in this court. The Importance of this
case might have been magnified in the
minds Of some people, but there was no
reason why the court should take into
consideration the effect that the sentence
Eight have upon the minds of some people
throughout the land. Politics had nothing
to do with the case. The defense had said
that this trial was actuated solely by Wall
street, but there was nothing in the evil
dence to show anything of the sort. Wall
street had no more to do with this case
than II had with cases Of this sort that
are tried every day in Kansas and Colo
RADIO.
CrfticisinE COxey's Course.
Judge Miller touched rather severely upon
Coxey's action in bringing to the capital a
band of idle and unemployed men in an eff
fort to realize financial dream Of his own.
There was nothing to show that Coxey had
ever Identified himself with the laoorinS
classes Of this land, and he, for one, thank
ed God that the wOrkingmen had not ex-
pressed the slightest sympathy with his
movement y lew men ndu plOWcu
their way through the snow in the noun
tains, but CoXey had not walked with them.
No man could tell what might have hap
pened If a hundred thousand men had come
to Washington. Judge Miller said that he
would not characterize as a vagary Coxey'3
Notwithstanding bond scheme, but when
he thought that by bringing an army of
men to this city he could influence Congress
to pass laws that it would not Otherwise
consider. he did that which could only cause
a smile If II amounted to notbing and which
sEoGi1 point his way to Jail If his efforts
proved harmful.
As for COXey. his head was so cramyned
with his schemes that ne believed tina. any
tang that might stand IN his way was
wrong. When man begins TO think that
whatever Is opposed 10 him Is unconsticu-
tonal. ard must De swept OCT Of the way,
he at Cnce becomes q dangerous citizen.
10 right Of Coxey's had been abridged, and
II ever a man was guilty Of offense
charged against him that man was Coxey.
He must have known that If he had aarisht
TO speak on the Capitol steps another
might sell soap and hundreds make speech
es at the same time, and pandemonium
would enSue at once Yet, knowing this,
he had come here, and his doing il showed
at least that he was enthusiastic and had
an idea that he might accomplish some
thing more on the steps of the Capitol than
he could anywhere else. In point of fact,
he was no nearer to Congress on the steps
of the Capitol than he was at his home in
Ohio His plan was to face to the east,
with his back TO the Solons of the national
legislature. and address the crowd that
might be gathered from Idle curiosity. A
speech delivered there would have no more
effect than if il were delivered from the
Peace monument or from the branches of
a tree on Pennsylvania avenue. A man
trying to make a speech in such place.
knowing his act to be Unlawful. either want
ed to pose as a man who violated law or
as a man who had caused the laws to bend
before MS individual personality.
The Real Poor.
A great deal had been said in this case
said Judge Miller, about poverty, but he
could see no signs Of poverty in the trio be-
fore him On the other hand, poor men are
brought into court every day. and the
hearts of Congressman did not go out to
these. These were let alone, and he did
not remember to have heard of Representa-
tives and Senators going down to the work
house and paying their fines. in order that
they might breathe the air OF freedom, and
enjoy their constitutional rights" Sena-
tors and Representatives did not expend
any sympathy upon such these, but the
good people Of Washington do. and they
care for their poor and their unemployed,
but they did not make a fuss about ii.
They did not let their right hands know
what their left hands did. and they did
not charge gate receipts for ii, either.
In conclusion Judge Miller said that when
a man of Coxeys ability and intelligence
set himself up in opposition to the laws of
the land he at once became a menace to
the community. If ever a man deserved
the limit of punishment that man was
COxey. although he did not intend to i'm
pose the maximum sentence. Judge Miller
pointed out a number of Inconsistencies in
COxey's claims as TO the purposes that had
induced him to violate police regulation
In order to test the question of his right to
speak on the steps OF the Capitol.
There was no constitutional question in
the matter at all 1t was all Coxey and
Coxey's ideas. Violations of law must be
met with firm hand at the outset.
Twenty Days in Jail.
At 12:45 Judge Miller concluded his re-
marks He at once sentenced the men on
the two counts on which they were held
guilty-carrying a banner into the Capitol
grounds and walking upon the grass. Jones'
II will be remembered, was held guilty only
on The first count
Judge Miller sentenced the three men to
twenty days in Jail on the first count.
On the second count COXey and Browne
were fined s. each or Imprisonment for ten
days in default of payment of fine.
No Denomination.
There were no demonstrations Of any sort
IN the court room when sentence was i'm
posed. and the crowd at once left the build
ing, though there was a larger one outside.
If there were any commonwealers in court,
their presence was not made manifest A