Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-12-15
|. ?. h|LL|GAN DEAD
. NATIVE OF ST. CLAIRsvILLE,
WHO FIGURED PROMINENTLY
IN THE EVENTS OF THE
CIVIL WAR.
OPPOSED THE UNION CAUSE,
Was Convicted Of Treason and Com
victed-Saved Through the Inter-
cession Of Edwin NJ. Stanton-De-
fended By James A. Garfield and
David Dudley Field-An Outline
of a Notable Career.

On Tuesday morning, December
twelfth, in Huntington, Indiana, there
passed away a man whose past history
is equalled by few men, whose lives are
written on the pages of the history Of
this nation. The person was L. P. Mil
ligan, whose connection with the
Knights of the Golden Circle during
the civil war, led to his trial and con-
viction pm the charge Of treaso but
who was saved from the gallows
through the intercession of Edwin M.
Stanton, Secretary of War at that time.
Lambdin P. Milligan was born near
St. Clairsville, March Gath, 1912, and
settled community. His facility for ac-
quiring knowledge was limited, but at
the age of nineteen he had received a
fairly good education. He taught
school for a number of years and read
law with Shannan Alexander, of st.
Clairsville. In the class with him, and
M of his first opponents in a law suit,
was Edwin M. Stanton, who after
wards saved his life.
Mr.. Milligan practiced law in Ohio
until 1845, when he moved to Hunt
ington, Ind, and engaged in the same
profession.
There he gained quite a reputation
as a lawyer and was compared with
the leading members of the bar of the
State. In 1860 he opposed the Brecken-
bridge wing of the Democracy, and
strongly opposed Stephen A. Douglas.
During the campaign of 1864 he was a
candidate for Governor before the
Democratic convention, but was defeat
ed, and at this time he was openly
charged with being a member of the
knights of the Golden Circle" and on
the fifth of October of that year he
was arrested at his home and charged
with treason. He was given a trial
before eleven colonies of volunteer
regiments, and was defended by the
Hon. Jno. Coffroth. He wa found gull
ty and sentenced to be hanged on
the 10Th day of May, 1865. President
Lincoln was importuned to commute
the sentence, but before the action had
been taken he vas assa5sinated. Then
the case was brought before the courts
on the ground that he should not have
been tried before a court martial. 1t
at last reached the Supreme Court of
the United States, when for Mr.. Mill
gan appeared, J. e. Mcdonald, J. S.
Black, James A. Garfield and David
Dudley Field, and against him appeared
Speed, the Attorney General, H. M
~Stanberry and Benz. F. Butler.
The time fixed for the execution was
fast approaching, his gallows had been
built by rebel prisoners at Indianapolis,
and he selected his pallbearers, but
HIS WllS Cdll6 " LuS VCSCuS dIu, DS-
friended by Oliver P. Morton and Jno.
N. Petit, both Republicans, she was
sent to Washington and had a hearing
with Mr.. Stanton, with whom she had
went to school. Many prominent peo-
pie importuned President Johnson, and
the day before the time for the exe-
cution his sentence was committed, and
he was sent to the Columbus prison.
In March, 1866, his case was heard be-
fore the Supreme Court and was decid-
ed on April 3rd. Probably the most
eloquent appeal was made by James
A. Garfield, and defendant was dis
charged. Mr.. Milligan returned to his
home and resumed his practice, which
he continued until 1897, when, before
the Circuit Court, in an eloquent speech
he retired from the bar, sixty-twC
years after he had been admitted.
He brought suit for damages against
the military commission, and Hon
Thomas A. Hendricks was his attor-