The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1899-05-16

way Injuries the community, and so no
public duty requires me TO reveal it.
L alone am its victim, and for the sake
of the innocent whose lives its pub
LEGATION would blast 1 have decided to
keep silence. | cannot take the oath
of a grand juror to-day"
do you not see. Mr.. Coke" said
the Judge, that the very reason you
give for refusing to serve imposes an
Imperative obligation upon me to com
pei you to serve?"
Very possibly" was the reply.
But cannot serve. My honor for
bids"
but don't you know that it is
my duty, if you persist in your re-
fusal, to fine you to the full extent of
your property, and to imprison you
until you yield?"
Your Honor knows best what your
duty requires, replied the stately old
gentleman, land / have no doubt
that you will unfinchingly do your
duty as you understand it, But, par.
don me, l mean no disrespect when [
say that l, and no other human be-
ing, must determine what my honor
requires. That lies between me and
my God. l cannot serve upon the
Grand jury"
The courtroom was by this time
packed to suffocation, for all the peo-
pie of the country were there on court
days, and news of what was in pro-
gress had spread over the green out
side.
The Judge was greatly perplexed.
He inquired. OF the clerk the amount
of Mr.. Cox's possessions, and was
told. Then he made another and al.
most fearful appeal for compliance,
arguing that the mandate of court
absolve honor of its obligations.
The dignifed old gentleman re-
NAMED smilingly and courteously
obdurate.
Finally the Judge turned to the
clerk and said:
Enter a fine of 81 against Mr..
Coke and an order that he be impris-
oned in the county Jail for the space
of one minute. and further enter it of
record that i'll the opinion of this
court l am not fit to be Judge. Mr..
Sheriff. take your prisoner"
COuTl-uOuSG
unanimously emptied itself and
when the Sheriff walked out with mis-
prisoner on his arm he found the en-
tire able-bodied male population of the
county surrounding the JAIL They
were already in possession of all the
shotguns, axes, picks, crowbars and
the like in the village, besides such
firearms as the hotter headed young
| men were accustomed to carry on
their persons. Their spokesman an
nounced to the Sheriff their determ
ination that Carleton Cox, the noblest
and most honored man in that com
munity, should not be locked up in
Jail.
at is only for n minute, " began the
Sheriff, but howl of indignation
| drowned his voice
Bring me something to stand on, 3"
| said Mr.. Coke to the Sheriff. "and I
will make them n placating speech. E"
He had been for many years their
State Senator, and they were accus-
toned to hear and heed his words.
But this time his oratory failed for its
purpose. He showed them how Ger
tainly anarchy must ensue if the or
ders of the courts wero defied. He
explained to them that his ofTeuse had
been q very Rrievous one He begged
them for his own honor's sake TO let
| him ezpiate it by submitting to the
Insignificant punishment imposed by
the Judge. He reminded them that as
their Senator he was q lawmaker. and
that 1t would especially i'll become him
10 be lawbreaker.
At this point an old man Of great in
fuence in that community arose and
bnred his head TO a breeze that swept
his long white looks into a halo. lie
called out
Thou, God, Seest Usl Fellow
citizens Resolved unanimously by the
people Of this county, in mass meet
ing assembled, that Carleton Coke
shall never pass the portals Of a Jail
that we own.
great shout made the resolution
the law OF popular will
| Come, said the Sheriff, 'T must
report 10 the court"
His return read Prevented bv the
/ unanimous and indignant resistance of
/ the entire county from executing the
| Courts order Of imprisonment.
Said the Judge:
VERY we'll The Court accepts the
temporary detention Of Mr.. Coke in
custody Of the Sheriff as full satisfac
ton Of the order Of imprisonment. Mr..
Sheriff discharge your prisoner. Mr.
| Clerk, call the docket"
Sixteen years later there came b. n
lawyer one lay from New Orleans an
envelope inolosing baDk cashiers