Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-09
MARTIN JURY CHARGED.
Fate of Sherin and Deputies VIII
Probably lie Known To-Day.

WILKESBARRE, PA, March D.
Sheriff Martin and his deputies VIII pro-
baby know their fate tomorrow morn
ing. The arguments were concluded TO-
day. and late this evening Judge wood
ward charged the jury. No word having
been received from the jury-room up %
3 o'clock tonight. court was ADJOURNED
until 10 o'clock tomorrow morning.
Judge Woodward's charge was eXhaus-
tive. He discussed the power OF the
Sheriff to summon posse and MAINTAIN
order.
Continuing. the Judge said: There is
no law. either by statutory enactment
or by any decision of our courts, to pre-
vent laboring men from stopping WORK
and going upon a strike whenever III
their own opinion, 1t is for their interest,"
so 10 do. Nor Is there any law winch
makes it a conspiracy for workingmen,
in any department of human industry, 10
combine together, and by mutual agree
ment to refuse employment until there
has been brought about a satisfactory
adjustment between their employers and
themselves upon the points at issue. Inc
liberty of contract Is not to be lnfringed,
either by the employed or by the en-
ployer As the employer has no right 10
compel man to work who does not wish
TO work. so, also, is il true that the EN-
ployee has no right to compel his fellow
workman to quit work If he wishes TO
work.
III Is certainly true lndI DOlU III west
HaZleton and at Lattimer the great Dody
of the strikers failed to obey the Sheriff
when he ordered them to dispense, and
insisted on pushing on Nor can II be
doubted that the Sheriff had the right,
i'm the exercise of the discretion vested
in him by the law. to issue the order.
And if il was the right of the Sheriff 10
command the crowd to dispense, then II
was the duty of the crowd to- obey his
command. The right to give an order
Inf of n
der and disobedience Of ii is evidence OF
a riOtous purpose. If j push on when
the Sheriff orders me 10 stop, | do so at
my peril. OF course, this obligation or
obedience to the authority of the peace
officer Of the county is not confined 70
laboring men. 1t extends to and en-
braces all the inhabitants of the county,
rich or poor. high or low.
IF you are satisfied gentlemen, from
the evidence that the purpose of the
Sheriff and his posse was to preserve
order and prevent riot, then IL would fol-
low that their intent and object was not
a criminal or unlawful one, and the rule
Of law which makes the act Of one the
act of all has no application to the facts
of this case. IL, on the contrary, you
are convinced by the evidence that the
Sheriff was not actuated by desire ana
intention to preserve the peace, but that
he summoned his posse with the idea of
inficting upon the body of men known in
the case as strikers wantOn and unneces-
Sary outrage and injury without rete-
renee to their action and conduct-if, in
short, his purpose was base, malicious,
and wicked one-then, so far as he Is
concerned. and so far as the deputies
are concerned, IL they understood his
motive and acted with the same intent,
the fact of a criminal and unlawful com
bination would be established, and then
all the defendants might be convicted,
although the shot which took the life OF
the deceased was fired by a single one
of the defendants. The act of any one
would, in that event, be the act OF ALL"