Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-10-28
Gun.rN or NOT GunTN
A Thrilmg Court Incident Growing
Out of Politics.
To be continued,

! tWo prominent AhtellSan 'lNlHtNS he~
came involved, and one killed the
other, He was arrested and SOLICITED
j for murder. His friends employed
Edward u, Baker to defend him,
BAKER was just coming to the front
as n great criminal advocates was
young, ambitious.
tamhorn was prosecutor, and he too
was young and ambitious. and felt that
! ,'aker was Il fooman worthy OF his
steel,
The author of this sketch Judge
! MRtheny was thon studying law With
! Baker and was somewhat skilled In
! the preparation of defcnces and the
! selection II iuries, and at Bakers re-
guest went with him to the trial.
The whole county was intensely
excited Tho trial assumed poltti.
! Cal aspect, The man on trial was n
wlig and the man killed was q dem
ocrat, the party lines were closely
! drawn, and the friends of the dead
man were clamoruns FOR the blood OF
the man who had killed him
The court was held In large franc
! building used rs II Baptist church, and
| ON the day of the trial Il was crowded
GO It's utmost capacity The jury were
cmpanelled, and the violence taken,
| The killing was admitted, and the de-
fence was justhahle homicide,
| l.amhurn and Baker were both
strangers to the people and Jurors,
neither having visited that county
before, and each determined to win II
victory Lamhorn rose to open the
, case for the prosecution.
! He was u tall, slim man. with a
| most singulnrly musical voice, and the
/ st.angest tawny complexion imagin-
able. His whole countcnance was
utterly emUtionlcss. Over his voice he
/ had complete control. He simply rend
the indictment, and then, in few
unimpassoned words, asked con
vctiou of the defendant
Everybody was nstonlshcd and dis,
appointed. was watching him N
tently. | knew the man 30 well that
| was loking for something extraordi-
nary. but his sudden abandonment OF
the case surprised me greatly.
Baker arose for tho defence. lie
was handsome man--one of the
handsomest men | ever knew. Beneath
the magic power OF his burning elo-
quence all hearts were subdued, all
angry passions we're hushod the fierce
cry for blood was stllled, and II could
be- plainly seen that from every bosom
In that vast audience went up the
earnest prayer Let him go free!
During Bakers wonderful defence
! was watching Iamborn. He sat per-
foctly still, seemingly totally uncon
scions OF time and piece
When Baker sat down and the muir
muring ripple OF approval had ceased,
1Amborn arose In weary and llstless
manner. and asked the Court to take
recess until after supper stating that
he did not feel we'll and needed
little time TO prepare his answer to
the powerful defence made by Baker.
Court adjourned until seven O'Clock.
After the people had gone Lamborn
came to me and asked me to go with
him to see the sheriff
The sheriff came to the front door,
and invited MS in Lamborn declined.
but said
Il am not we'll, and my eyes arc so
exceedingly weak that ! cannot bear
the light. Now ! want you TO do this
for me. When you open the court
room tonight don't want any light
In the room but one candle, and
want that placed on the little stand In
front OF the jury"
The sheriff replied, will the Judge
permit that? II viii leave the room
80 very dark"
Lamborn said, II Will speak 10 the
Judge. II viii be all right. Baker
made a strong defence, and must an
swer IL, for that man is murderer
and must he hanged. and / can't sue
cessfully answer II unless you do as
want yon to-"
All right all right" said the shcr-
In.
Seven O'Clock approached, and Lam
born took my arm, and we made our
way slowly to the courtroom. As
soon as entered the door compre-
hended II all
The house was completely filled, and
one solitary candle. casting It's weird, |
ghostly shadow throughout the room.
sent shiyering chin over me- and. |
casting my eyes over the faces OF the |
jurors, could plainly see that the i
same effect was produced upon them
as upon me. i
Gone were the beamIng eyes and
joyous countenances as they cleaned
and gIowed beneath Bakers glorious
el0quence; gone the pulsations Of
mercy that then thrilled every bosom.