The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-01-22
Outrage by Injunction.

Federal Judges outrages on the RICH
of trial by jury and general abuse of con
stitutional rights of the people, are be
coming so prevalent that the despotisn
which is clandestinely growing up and
threatens to tear down the barriers erected
for the defense of the liberty of the citizen
by grand juries and petit juries, that
Congress is about to move to check this
usurpation Of the federal Judiciary. The
following letter from Julius Clayton, who
is member of the Clayton family for
merly of the Second district, we'll known
in this county, and which, on that account,
in measure, was published in the Wing
recently, is i'll evidence of the outrageous
tyranny that is being claimed by federal
judges as one of their prerogatives The
same usurpation of power was exercised
by Judge Wood in the Debs case at Chi
cago, and i'll the imprisonment of Coxey
and Brown in Washington, D. c., for
tramping on the grass.
If not rebuked and abridged by Con-
gress in very decided terms, these and
other cases that are sure to multiply, will
soon be used as ''precedents' to imprison
anybody for any trumped up pretense, of
a contempt" of the judges arbitrary
order. This federal court contempt bus
mess is danger that if not checked at
once will be met by firearms and swords
i'll the future as it has been met in the
past This same judiciary encroachment
on the rights and liberty of the people is
an alarming danger.
The following is Mr. Clayton's letter /:
CHICAGO, ILL, Dec u, '96.
Hon. James r. Man, Congressmanelect, First
Illinois District. Dear Sir:-Absence from the
city has prevented my answering your letter of
the 18th before this. was one of the jurors in the
case of Marie Cahill against the Chicago, Milwau-
kee & st. Paul Railroad Co., which was tried in
the United States Court before Judge Seaman,
think, about January, 1895.
The evidence left no doubt in my mind that the
girl was run down by locomotive of the defend
ant, which YVES operated by its men with gross
negligence. While she was under the engine they
again moved the engine over her and cut off
another leg.
1t seems to me all the way through the case that
the judge was in favor of the railroad company
and when he instructed the jury the way he did,
to bring in a verdict for the railroad company,
refused and for that he ordered into arrest and
threatened to send me to Jail. l was left in GUS
tody and deprived of my liberty all day. Late at
night l was again brought before the court and
ordered to bring in verdict for the defendant
which refused to do, saying l would rot in Jail
before l would perpetrate such damnable out
rage on this poor girl explained to the court
that my better nature, and everything that was
decent in me- revoted at this outrageous verdict
of his not mine, and that l would die in prison
before would be party to such a verdict
The matter was disposed Of by the lawyers and
the Judge then, but never consente| to verdict
and would have died rather than do so
While do not want to raise disturbance or be
the cause it, l send you this statement because
believe that the representatives of the people in
Congress have right to know such things as you
inquire about in your letter.
In conclusion permit me to say that in all the
calendar of OutGages there are none more damn
able than this one Judge Seaman perpetrated on
this poor, innocent, defenseless girl.
Very truly yours,
JULIUS CLAYTON.