The Lamar register., 1904-05-11
HABEAS CORPUS
LAWYERS USE STRONG WORDS
Arguments Closed in Meyer Case
Radical Statements by Counsel
on Both Sides.

Denver. May THE arguments in
the Meyer case were concluded yester-
day afternoon at 4:i5 o'clock. Mr..
Richardson. for petitioner, used his
full allowance of five hours, while the
state had fifteen minutes to its credit
when the case closed. Aside from the
filing of some supplemental briefs,
which counsel announced yesterday
they would have ready for filing in a
few days. there is nothing now to do
but await the decision of the court
The special attorney called in to assist
the court will prepare their opinions
Immediately and submit them. While
lit is impossible to know when Il de-
cision will be rendered, there is gem
eral opinion that. owing to the exisen7
.cies of the case. it will not be delayed
any longer than necessary.
In his argument in support OF the
governor, Attorney General Miller
said:
Infinite harm has been done the
cause of labor in this state by the agi1
ltators who have declared that the fail
lure of the eight-hour Legislation would
result in such a condition as we face
,debauch legislatures they are more re-
sponsible than are they who are lead
ing the strike, for they are intelligent
men, while some of the others are and
some are not"
The above declaration followed close
on the heels of another startling state
,ment by the attorney general. that
there were sections of Colorado where
the law had not been enforced for
years.
Il know from personal knowledge
that the law has not been enforced IN
San Miguel county for the past five or
six years" he declared. 1T is in my
Ineighborhood. and | speak from ex-
lperience. In most of the mining coun-
ties of Colorado you can file informa-
tions If you choose. but unless the jury
chooses to convict you cannot OBTAIN
"a conviction. ! have tried IL through
two terms as district attorney. Ordi-
narily you can find out on the streets
what the verdict will be. This condi7
ytion of affairs is especially true in the
counties of San Miguel San Juan and
Teller. In such an emergency as this
dt was absolutely no use to rely on the
civil authorities. The only thing that
could be done to pcrserve peace ana
order in that part of the state was To-
send the military there.
The attorney general was making the
main point in his argument, which was
that. while the governor WIS exercis-
ing power given him under the consti-
tuition. his acts could not be 1ues-
toned by the Supreme Court, ana that
the answer which had been made to
the writ of habeas corpus was suifi-
cient to justify a complete discharge OF
the military in the case at bar.
..yNba,, m military ont their now
er is the measure OF necessity con-
tinued Mr.. Miller. when the COVER
nor sends out the military to preserve
the constitution of this state, that IL
his weapon, and when he is welding
this weapon his hand can no more be
hampered than could my hand, II
were engaged in trying to repel the IN
trusion into my home of robber-
When the insurrection is put down,
then il is his duty to turn this petit
toner over to the courts. but neither
this court nor any other court has
the right to stop him until that time"
Mr. Waldron on the same side.
spoke for two or three hours
Attorney Richardson made ViBor-
GUS and sarcastic reply to the argu-
ments of Miller and WaldTon.
Referring to Mr.. Waldron's argu-
ment in favor of one-man power, he
said that any man who had gone TO
Germany and found it too democratic,
could not return and attempt to graft
upon the people of Colorado tyranny
more tyrannical than any country ever
knew" Another striking sentence
was: When a court of justice in Col
orado is compelled to sit while the
myrmidons of its governor grind their
Krag-Jorgensens on the floor 1t may
mot be very far from this grinding
noise to the click of rifles sending bull
lets into the hearts of the judges on
this bench.
I'm the past six months" continued
Mr.. Richardson, the military of this
state under n lawless governor, san
toned and advised by an irresponsible
adiutant general have stirred up such
a condition in this state as could never
have been brought about by any band
of lawless men had their actions re
suited in wholesale murder The law
has not been kept. The governor has
not taken cave that the laws he faith
fully executed. but he has lent his
sanction to a classic infiame class
against a class-and appeal Is now
made to this court to permit his nD-
bridled will to continue course which
has been mapped out for him by per
sons behind the scenes"
Mr. Richardson's sarcasm reached its
height in referring to n charge which
he said had been made by Mr.. Waldron
questioning his respect for the Ameri-
can flag. He said:
mo man can charge me with sneer-
ing at the flag without being answered.
MY ancestors were in the wars which
created. which upheld and which main
tanned this government. Can the gen
tleman who made the charge say as