Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-06-06
ARRA|GN TIE JUDGES
Verdicts of the Courts in Illinois
County Denounced in Mass
Meeting.
Charges That Money Was Used
to Secure the Acquittal
OF Murderers.
Futile Effort to Convict in Four
Murder Cases.-Order League
Formed.

Pittsfeld, ILL.,, June 6.-In the court
room where four recent murder trials
| have resulted unsatisfactory to the
people the farmers of Pike county and
the residents of it's small towns brwught
| terday. From all sections Of the county,
| from the bottom lands of the Illinois to
those of the Mississippi, angry men
gathered in Pittsfield and rebelled
against the judiciary.
! AT one time the peculiar scene was
presented of a circuit court judge
| pleading his own case and defending
| the actions of a colleague on the bench
before the people who elected him.
out the afternoon in the hot court room
threw caution aside on numerous occa-
sions. Judges were accused of receiving
money. To such influence was ascrihed
the acquittal of men accused of muir
| der. Attorneys We're charged with splr-
| iting away witnesses whose testimony
| 1t was alleged would have condemned
their clients.
Then to guarantee d satisfactory adj
ministration of justice in the future the
Pike County Law and Order League
was organized. with G. G.. VIM, of
Griggsville, president. A member is to
be appointed from eVerytownship in
the county.
While the people are taking these
Nteps because of their belief that JUS
tce has not been done in their courts,
the man whose acquittal has SO stirred
public sentiment is living, a free man,
but an outcast, in Griggsville. He is
Frank Newman, son of the wealthiest
farmer in his township, Il man reputed
to be worth a quarter of million dol
lors, owning some of the best land in
the state. He is Stunned by all his
neighbors. He has no associates. The
people avoid him, and the only recog-
milton he secures is to receive repeated
warnings and requests to leave the
county.
What will be the result of the matter
is problematical. 1t is a miracle If there
has not been enough litigation in the
way of libel suits started by the pro-
ceedings to keep Pike county courts
busy for two years Several stenog-
raphers kept record of the statements
made during the Indignation meeting
and as the accused are all lawyers or
judges it is the prediction of many that
there will be something doing"
Then in Griggsville the temper of the
people is uncertain and their leaders
are trying to suppress tendency to-
ward whitecapping. Appeal to lynch
law was mentioned frequently yester-
day afternoon, but always in depreca-
ton.
Pike county's peculiar frame OF mimi
towards its judiciary came about in
this way: An old soldier. Michael
Corcorar, went to the Illinois Rive2
bottoms one afternoon to husk corn,
Later he was found shot thru the body
and thru the head. Frank Newman,
the son of wealthy farmer was ac-
cused of the murder. There had been
a disagreement between the>two men,
and circumstantial evidence was con-
sidered sufficiently strong against
Newman to warrant his arrest.
When the case came to trial Judge
Harry Higbee was engaged with suit
in the appellate court and Judge VAN
sellars, of Paris, was secured to hear
the case. 1t was found that three
of the important witnesses for the
prosecution We're missing. What tes-
timony there was went to the jury,
and then Judge Vansellars sustained
a motion of Attorney Jefferson Orr to
take the case from the jury because
the prosecution had not made good its
charges, and the twelve men were in
structed to bring in a verdict Of acc
quittal.
This was the last of four murder
trials which had not resulted in the
sentences the people thought should
have been given in them, and the ac-
ton of the Judge in taking the case
away from the jury capped the eli A
max of the popular Indignation. 1t
found expression in several indigna-
ton meetings in Griggsviile, and fin
ally in the determination to hold q
general meeting for the county at
Pittsfeld, the county seat, where an
endeavor should be made to correct
alleged evils on the bench. The result
were the invectives of this afternoon
Things have come to such passt
said Chairman VIM, when the meet
ing was called to order, that disrespect
for law is being taught our children
They are able to point to men in tho
streets and say, There is a fellow
who shot man and had nothing done
TO Il;