Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1899-06-01

81 know of crime committed with
in less than that time. But it in no
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 have decided to
keep silence. I cannot take the oath
of 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 server"
every possibly" was the reply.
"But I 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 I have no doubt
that you will unfinchingly do your
duty as you understand it. But, par
don me, mean no disrespect when I
say that I, and no other human be-
ing, must determine what my honor
requires That lies between me and
my God. 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 it's obligations.
The dignified old gentleman re-
NAMED smilingly and courteously
obdurate.
Finally the Judge turned to the
clerk and said
ENTER 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 in the opinion of this
court l am not fit to be Judge. Mr..
Sheriff, take your prisoner"
By this time the courthouse had
unanimously emptied itself, and
when the Sheriff walked out with his
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 IS 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 il
Jail.
sit is only for minute" began the
Sheriff, but a howl of indignation
drowned his voice.
Bring me something to stand on,
said Mr.. Coke to the Sheriff, "and
will make them a placating speech.
He had been for many years theil
State Senator, and they were accus
toned to hear and heed his words
/ But this time his oratory failed for it,
, purpose. He showed them how Ger
, tainly anarchy must ensue if the or
i ders of the courts were defied. III,
, explained to them that his offense ha(
been very grievous one. He begged
/ | 1, 1, L>n1.,ta b IL
| him expiate it by submitting to tn
| insignificant punishment imposed b,
the Judge. He reminded them that a
, their Senator he was lawmaker, an,
) that it would especially ill become hin
+ to be lawbreaker.
At this point an old man of great in
/ fuence in that community arose an
barred his head to breeze that swep
l his long white locks into halo. H
S called out:
9 'Thou, God, Seest Us! Fellow
s citizens: Resolved unanimously by tn
e people of this county, in mass meet
a ing assembled, that Carleton Cox
s shall never pass the portals of a ja
that we own"
A great shout made the resolutio
S the law of popular will.
i Come" said the Sheriff, ST mus
report to the court"
L His return read Prevented by tn
s unanimous and indignant resistance {
}. the entire county from executing th
e Courts order of Imprisonment"
e Said the Judge:
every we'll The Court accepts til
o temporary detention of Mr. Coke i
custody OF the Sheriff as full satisfat
a ton of the order of Imprisonment. M
Sheriff, discharge your prisoner. M
e Clerk, call the docket"
e
II Sixteen years later there came to