Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-05-10
CONVICTED.
The Leaders of the Commonweal-
ere Found Guilty.
MOTION IN ARREST OF JUDGMENT.
Also One for New Trial Made by Counsel
for Defense Penalty, 500 to $500
Pine aud sixty to One Hundred
and Twenty Days In jail

WASHINGTON, May 9.-The three
leaders OF the commonweal-Coxey
Browne and Christopher Colu mbus
Jones--have been found guilty Of vio-
lating the laws by jury OF their peers
and will have to submit TO a sentence
hereafter TO DO imposed by the court
for their recent demonstration on the
capitol grounds. All three Of the ac-
cused were convicted on the first
count OF the indictment, which
charged them with displaying ban
ner designed to bring into public notice
the j. $. Coxey Good Roads association.
Jones, OF Philadelphia, was acquitted
Of the second count, which accused
them of treading on tho grass, but
Coxey and Browne were convicted.
The jury retired at fvo minutes before
I o'clock, after hearing long charge
from Judge Miller, which left them
little alternative but to convict II they
followed his leadinRs
About $3.50 the jurors sent for the in
structions given for the defense, but
the government objected, and they
filed into the court room while the
Judge read the instructions. Young
Attorney Lyman endeavored to have
the fact that the objection came from
the prosecution laid before the jury,
but he was suppressed. Judge Miller
stated he would not have handed
over the written instructions under
any circumstances, as they would
have been irregular. Twenty five
minutes after this episode the jury re-
turned with the verdict The verdict
was guilty as to the first charge
carrying banners upon the capitol
grounds-against all the defendants,
and on the second charge on
the grass of the capitol grounds
guilty as to Coxey and Browne and not
guilty as TO Jones
Attorney Lipscomb Immediately en-
tered a motion for new trial and an
other In arrest of Judgment. Judge
Miller gave him four days to file the
formal paper Then the judge made
inquiries about bail and Frank llume,
n well-known wholesale grocer, who
several times has run for the demo
cratic nomination for congress from
the Virginia district across the Poto-
mac river signed bond in $50 for each
Coxey left the room on the arm of his
wife, pushing through n curious crowd
which made no demonstration.
The conviction of himself and Jones
was surprise to the commonweal S m
pathizers. Coxey said IT was evident
his conviction was not for what he had
done, but because OF the principles in
behalf of which he had acted.
Carl Browne remarlted: 81 was sur
prised at the conviction of Brother
Coxey. because he was plainly acquit-
ted by the evidence of any technical
violation OF the statutes. For my own
part expected to be convicted"
Two weeks may elapse, during which
the trio will be free on bail, before the
motion for new trial Is argued and
decided. The penalty provided by the
law is the same for each offense, viz:
A fine not to exceed 500 and imprison-
ment in Jail for not more than sixty
days, or both, within the discretion OF
the court Accordingly the maximum
punishment which may DO ted out
to Coxey and Browne Is $500 and 100
days, while Jones Is subject to 500
and sixty days,