The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-01-22
he 0 THE CROWD.
How Governor Joel Parker Arraigned
Himself for Trial.

BENJAMIN F. Lee, the Clerk of the Supreme
Court, has long enjoyed the distinction of
being the matchless story teller of the State
House, and his stories have none of the sub
rosa flavor of those that go the rounds of the
stag parties, but are rather interesting
glimpses into the lives OF the notable men
which his active career has brought him into
contact with. The other evening, when he
was in a reminiscent humor, he told a charm
ing tale of the way Joel Parker. the war
Governor of the State, once captured a cam
paign meeting of carpers. 1t was during
the war times, and some fractions critics
had complained that he was not in full SYM
pathy with the Union cause, and that he had
been dilatory in sending Jersey troops for
ward to the front to battle for the cause.
He had taken a nomination for reelection,
and his active of the State was
largely made in those parts OF it where his
critics were most numerous.
gentlemen of the jury" Mr.. Lee heard
him begin at one of the campaign gather
! ings-the crowd imagined that he had for
| gotten that he was not at that moment a
lawyer preparing to plead for a client, but a
citizen seeking the suffrages of his fellow
tongue.
'sWelr' the old Governor went on after the
merriment had subsidized, 81 should nave
said Fellow Citizensp But no! let it be
Gentlemen of the jury for after all you are
a jury gathered to try your candidate on a
charge of sympathy with treason: and to
declare him guilty or not guilty by your
votes when you nave heard all the evidence.
So let it be Gentlemen of the jury and
we'll organize a court here for the trial OF
Governor Joel Parker on the charges that
have been made against him" Then
| assuming to be the public prose
cutor, he formally opened the case for
the State. and arraigned himself in such a
| speech as an eminent prosecutor might have
| made had he been really at the bar. Then
he called the witnesses one after the other,
pictured them as sitting in the witness box,
and questioned them on the direct and on the
"cross' Just as they might have been queS-
toned by counsel on either side, and repeat
ed their imaginary responses to his amused
| and interested audience.
And now the State rests he went on,
''and the witnesses for the defence are sum-
moned. Andrew G.. Curtin, take the stand.
You are the war Governor OF pennsylvania,
Mr.. Curtins I am Do you know the
reputation of Joel Parker, of New Jersey,
for loyalty to the Union cause? 1 do Is it
good or badfn
For answer he read a letter from Curtin
in which that noted patriot had spoken
words of highest encomium for the zeal
with which Joel Parker had upborne the
Union arms.
Edward M. Stanton, take the stand"
And the Governor, acting as counsel for the
defence, put the great Secretary through the
same series of interrogations. And for
answer, Stanton's telegram, thanking the
Governor for the alacrity with which he
had sent troops forward, was read amid
widest applause.
81 might have produced a witness whose
| certificate would be the absolute acquittal of
the defendant at the barr he said, with sub
dued pathos, and, turning as if to address q
court, 'but the hand of the assassin has
sent him to a grave kept green by the tears
of his people. / am forced, your Honor, to
go to the jury without the testimony OF
Abraham Lincoln
AS though he were the judge at the trial,
he now turned his face to the audience n
solemnly charged the jury, and at the end Of
it he exclaimed that 1T is for you, gentle
men of the jury, to say whether, on the evil
dence presented before you tonight, this
defendant, Joel Parker, is guilty or not
guilty"
Every man and boy in the vast throng was
on his feet in an instant, and shouting a YER
dict of acquittal, and it is safe to say that
when election day came not a man who wit
messed that imaginary trial failed to cast his
vote for Joel Parker.