The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-25

construed the statute as the supreme
court in the states had invariably con-
strued similar statutes for century
I had construed the statute as similar
statutes had been construed in Great
Britain from the days of Magma
| Charta.
| His Real Ofense."
eff guilty. my offense was that I did
! not know more law than all the judges
of all the courts of the English-sDeak-
/ ing race, for more than 200 years My
| offense was, as clearly and specifically
defined. that 1 was no better lawyer
than Chief Justice Fuller. Mr.. Justice
Justice Peckham. and not as good
lawyer as Justice McKenna. against
whose confirmation the bar OF san
Francisco protested; not as good
a lawyer as Mr.. Justice Holmes, who
though appointed from Massachusetts
could not secure the Endorsement OF the
great lawyer and statesman, senator
Hoar; not as good a lawyer as MI.
Justice Day, who. 1 am told, was the
former counselor. if not partner, Oh the
late Abner Mckinley, in government
contracts; rot as good a lawyer as poor,
old Justice Brown, whose fadlng miho
had already entered the shadows of
rapid decline; not as good a lawyer as
Mr. Justice Harlan, the father OF Mr..
James Harlan, appointed by Presloent
Roosevelt on the interstate commerce
commission shortly after the justice de-
livered the last opinion In my case
submit ii there YVES not too mucn Ieeal
knowledge required of country lawyer
when the government accused me VI oA
Tending against this statute.
II was convicted, by the press, OF
bribery and fraud. I was convicted oy
the courts with misconstrulng s'ae-
ute 1 was guilty of nothing
my only offense was, that had Of
Tended the head of the 'Pol1cal Conn
munity of Intercsts.'-the president, and
the most powerful member OF the Corno
merciaI Community of 1nterests-tne
sugar trust. These, and tnese alonie'
are the ofrenses for which 1 have sur
fered. I violated TO law.
Il doubt if the country has ever iuIiS
realized why 1 was prosecuted at st.
:.On the evening of March 4. 1904.
shortly after 1 had been indicted ana
RooseveIt why be had proceeded against
me in st. Louis, and he evadeo the
question with the falsehood that ne
did not know. Within day or Two
thereafter, the same question was Pr
to the then attorney genera,
now Senator Knox, and he refused TO
INV attorneys often asked the ques-
lion, in their arguments to the court
why the case had been brought In 81.
Louis. aad not in washington ana tneS
could get no answer. NO trutnruI an
;Wer could be given, that was not
that In processing 1919 ha6
7iolated the very spirit of the consul
Mr. Burton then devoted some time
o discussing conditions IN 81. Louls
turing the Folk crusade. Continuing
Roosevelt. Knox and Dyer knew of
hese conditions, and that is why the
was set aside. and L was
proceeded against in MISSOURI.
INV conviction had to be secured az
ONE place where suspicion would
erye the place of law and evidence;
ONE place where the power of the
could be made effective;
ONE Mace where witnesses, prosecut-
ng officers and judges would be spe-
ialIy responsive to prospective re-.
Yards and punishments; 1 very much
ear some place where my conviction
ould be bought by the man VINO hao
he price to pay.
Pardons and Promotions.
srs'Again, LIDO not think that it is gem
raIly known that every witness who I
estiffed to anything at all material
gainst me has either been promoted !
4 Office or has received immunity /
rom punishment by the president | :
But such is the case-EsssNor-- did. the !
resident stop with his rewards in be-
towing official gifts -tocthe witnesses :
tho testified against me. Every otn- /
ial who had anything to do with my :
ase, with one exception, has been pro- :
noted by the president.
Let me particularize moment: :
''W E. Cochran, chief postoffice in
pector. has been promoted to be pur-
hasine agent for the postoff1ce de- a
artment. His salary in the-latter place
$4,000 per year. In the former 1t e
as $2,5OO.
ST know that this man shaded his t
violence against me in every way that =
. could. You can see the temptation a
nat was before him when he testi- l,
ed 1 know but little about him, and II
ant to be very careful not to mis- o
Idge anyone; but I am permitted to a
~ that Senator Charles Curtis told ?
me, and that he would not believe b
i'm on oath. t
"a man by the name of w. J. Wick q
~ was another witness. At the time
q first testified he was a postoff1ce in il
0ector. He has since been made chief e
ostoffice inspector. He took Cochran's t
lace, with a substantial increase in a
llary. S
This man is total stranger to me. (;
know part of his evidence was false ! s.
think his face would cause any hon d
st man to suspect him: while thief u
oking for pal, would never pass
i'm by
Fulton. a field postoffice inspector.
as another witness. He has been pro- 81
loted to be inspector in charge at ST. g
oufs since performing his active work e.
Sainst me- As is we'll known here in n
ansss, he entered the service in the H
rst instance through fraud Il
Even a poor clerk in the attorney
snerafs office. of the postoffice de- b
by the name of Paul Kaiser. V,
no testified only to a trif1ing incident. ir
ut under the schooling of Robb gave w
lie incident as bad coloring as pos h
it