Judge Gillette
had several pages of instructions to the jury, telling them their duty was
to convict and that the damages should be a large sum. I had these
instructions examined by a good lawyer, Mr. Duminel, of Topeka, and the
judge overleaped his perogative. He should have told the jury the facts
and the statute governing slander, but his instructions were an appeal and
command to convict me. This Judge Gillette has a reputation for being
a respected citizen, but his zeal to save from disgrace his republican
colleagues led him to thus persecute a loyal woman Home Defender of
Kansas, and protect the rum defenders, and republican schemers, who
have done more to injure prohibition in Kansas than any other party.
If a democrat wanted to carry on a dive, republicans would grant him
the permit to do so.
The jury brought in a verdict of guilty; but the damages to the character
of this republican county attorney was one dollar, and of course
I sent him the dollar, but the cost which was, including all, about two
hundred dollars was assessed to me and a judgement put on a piece of
property, which I paid off, by the sale of my little hatchets, and lectures.
Strange these trials never caused me to become discouraged,
rather the reverse. I knew I was right, and God in his own time would
come to my help. The more injustice I suffered, the more cause I had
to resent the wrongs. I always felt that I was keeping others out of
trouble, when I was in.
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