Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-03-02
MARTIN AND HIS MEN.
WllkESBARRE JURY HOLDS SO
LIVES IN ITS HANDS.
Progress of the Trial Resulting from
the Shooting of Coal Miners by
Deputy Sheriffs at Lattimer-Prose-
cution Would Prove Murder.
Echo of the strike.

The fourth week of the trial of Sheriff
James Martin and his IS deputies on the
charge of murder finds interest in this
most remarkable case growing instead of
decreasing. Never before in the history
of the country have twelve men held in
their hands the lives OF so many, and, ac-
cording to a Wilkesbarre Pa, correspon-
dent, the jury are showing the strain that
is upon them. The deputies. however
seem undepressed. You could not dis
cover in their bearing that they are on
trial for the grave charge of murder.
They occupy FIVE rows of seats TO the left
of the judge and so indifferent do some of
them feel to the proceedings that they
frequently close their eyes and fall into a
doze. Most of them are young and al
most all of them fairly well connected
Among them are many college graduates
and almost all of them were in some ca
paclty connected with coal mining
companies of the region.
These coal mining companies have not
forgotten them in their present position.
They are paying all the expenses of the
trial, and should any of the deputies be
convicted the companies will look after
the welfare of the families of the convict
ed men. Perhaps the knowledge of the
strength and influence that are back of
them may have something to do with rem
dering the deputies so confident: in any
case there is not trace of fear or even of
anxiety observable in their appearance.
The evidence thus far add6c4d rs the
prosecution goes to show that the march
ing miners, nineteen of whom were shot
and killed at Lattimer on Sept. 10 last.
were orderly, well behaved and unarm-
ed. It shows chat the majority of those
killed and wounded were shot in the back
and while they were fleeing to places of
safety. 1t shows that the deputies or at
least some of them were anxious to go
cunning for, the strikers and that some of
them afterward boosted of the number
they wounded and killed. There is a
great sameness of testimony among the
witnesses and the examination of the lat
ter. bringing out no new thing, is very
tedious.
The defense, however, intends to demol-
ish the side OF the prosecution. A good
idea may be had of the deputies side of
the case from statements made by former
Attorney General Palmer. In discussing
it he first defined the powers of the sher-
if ms given by Blackstone:
LAS the keeper of peace. both by COM
mon law and special commission, he is
the first in the county, and superior in
rank to any therein during his office He
may apprehend and commit to prison all
persons who break the peace or attempt
to break it; ard may bind anyone in roe
ognizance to keep the peace. He may,
and is bound, eX-ofIicio, to pursue and
take all traitors, murderers, felons and
other INSIDERS, and commit them to Jail
for safe custody. lie is also TO defend his
county against any enemies who come
into the land, and for this purpose, as
well as for keeping the peace and pursu-
ing felons, he may command all the peo-
pie of the county to attend him, which is
called the posse comitatus, or power of
the county, and this summons every per-
son above 10 years old is bound to at
tend upon warning under pain of fine or
Imprisonment"