CIVIL WAR LINCOLN ASSASSINATION CONSPIRATORS LAWYER JUDGE COX AUTOGRAPH SIGNED !

Description

Here’s a Scarce Autograph of Civil War Legal Defense Counsel for Two of the Lincoln Assassination Co-Conspirators and Presiding Judge at the Murder Trial of President Garfield
!
WALTER SMITH COX
(1826 – 1902)
PROMINENT AMERICAN LAWYER & FEDERAL JUDGE
ASSOCIATE JUSTICE
OF THE
SUPREME COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
(NOW THE
FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
), APPOINTED BY PRESIDENT HAYES 1879-1899, and PRESIDING OVER THE TRIAL OF
CHARLES J. GUITEAU
, WHO WAS CONVICTED OF THE ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT
JAMES A. GARFIELD
IN 1881,
DEFENSE COUNSEL FOR THE MURDER TRIAL OF SAMUEL ARNOLD and MICHAEL O’LAUGHLIN, TWO OF
THE LINCOLN ASSASSINATION CO-CONSPIRATORS,
TESTIFIED
IN
THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL
OF PRESIDENT
ANDREW JOHNSON
, HAVING BEEN CALLED AS A
WITNESS
BY JOHNSON'S DEFENSE TEAM,
ALDERMAN and RECORDER FOR THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN
-&-
PROFESSOR OF LAW AT GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY FROM 1874 TO 1879, AND 1899 TO 1902.
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HERE’S A GOLD EDGE-TRIMMED AUTOGRAPH SIGNATURE CARD BOLDLY SIGNED BY COX:
“Walter S. Cox
Associate Just. Sup. Ct. D.C.
June 18 1873”
.
The document measures
3¾” x 2,"
is in very fine condition, and boldly executed by Cox
.
A RARE & Excellent Relic of Presidential Assassination Memorabilia to add to your Autograph, Manuscript & Ephemera Collection.
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BIOGRAPHY OF WALTER S. COX
Walter Smith Cox
(October 25, 1826 – June 25, 1902) was an
Associate Justice
of the
Supreme Court of the District of Columbia
.
Education and career
Born in
Georgetown
, then a separate municipality in the
District of Columbia
, Cox received a
Bachelor of Arts
degree from
Georgetown University
in 1843, a
Master of Arts
degree from the same institution in 1844, and a
Bachelor of Laws
from
Harvard Law School
in 1847. He was in private practice in
Washington, D.C.
from 1848 to 1879, and during that period was also a recorder for the City of Georgetown, an Alderman for the City of Georgetown, and an auditor of the
Supreme Court of the District of Columbia
. From 1874 to 1879, he was a Professor of law at what was then called
Columbian University
, known today as
George Washington University
in Washington, D.C.
On April 16, 1868, Cox
testified
in
the impeachment trial
of President
Andrew Johnson
, having been called as a
witness
by Johnson's defense team.
Federal judicial service
Cox was nominated by President
Rutherford B. Hayes
on February 26, 1879, to the
Supreme Court of the District of Columbia
(now the
United States District Court for the District of Columbia
), to a new Associate Justice seat authorized by 20 Stat. 320. He was confirmed by the
United States Senate
on March 1, 1879, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on July 1, 1899, due to his retirement.
During Cox's service, he presided over the trial of
Charles J. Guiteau
, who was convicted of the assassination of President
James A. Garfield
.
Later career and death
Following his retirement from the federal bench, Cox resumed teaching as a Professor of law at George Washington University from 1899 to 1902. He died on June 25, 1902, in Washington, D.C
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The Story of
Walter Smith Cox’s Participation as Defense Counsel in the Trial of the Lincoln Assassination Co-Conspirators
COX DEFENDED SAMUEL ARNOLD AND MICHAEL O’LAUGHLIN DURING THE MURDER TRIAL OF THE CONSPIRATORS TO PRESIDENT LINCOLNS ASSASSINATION.
During all the two months of the Lincoln investigation by the commission, each of the accused was represented by one or more able counsel, among whom were the Hon. Beverly Johnson, of Maryland; General Thomas Ewing, then of Washington, Frederick A. Aiken, W.E. Foster,
Walter S. Cox
, and Frederick Stone, and that the whole power of the Government was put at the service of the accused, and used unreservedly by their counsel to bring from any part of the United States any witnesses they might desire.
Some of the counsel for the accused seemed to be as much convinced as the court of the guilty participation of the rebel authorities at Richmond and their confederates in Canada, in the conspiracy to assassinate President Lincoln.
Cox said in his argument
"the assassination of the President and other heads of Government may have been discussed in the south, as a measure of ultimate resort to retrieve the fortunes of the Confederacy, when at their lowest ebb: the rebel agents in Canada may have individually signified their approval of the measure in the abstract, long since; but I undertake to maintain upon the evidence that there was never any final determination, on the part of any person or persons, with whom any of these accused can possibly be connected, actually to attempt the life of the President or other functionary until a few days -- about a week --before the murder."
Again Cox says, speaking of Booth,
"The theory of the prosecution is that Booth who is acknowledged to have been the head and front and soul of the conspiracy, if there was one, was only the hireling tool of these rebel emissaries. I think he was probably something more, but it will not vary the result. "I think he was probably actuated, not only by the sordid hope of gain, but by a misguided, perverted ambition. Of strong will and passions, and high nervous organization, accustomed to play parts and those of a tragic character, he had contracted perverted and artificial views of life and duty, and had aspired to be the Brutus in real life that he had been or seen on the boards. "He well knew, however, that the act that he contemplated would be execrated all the world over, except possibly among those whom he intended to serve. Therefore, whether pecuniary reward or false glory was his object, he could hope for neither until he was secure of their approbation. Whatever his principle of action, he was wholly without motive for so desperate an undertaking until he supposed he had the approval of the rebel authorities. When does the evidence show this was given?"
Mr. Cox then proceeds to review the testimony, or a portion of it, given upon this point, and adds, "
Thus, in the end there is seen to be a substantial accord between all the three witnesses, on the important question when the formal sanction of the Richmond authorities was received in Canada, and when consequently for the first time they were in a condition to give their formal and official approval to the proposed assassination."
Samuel Arnold’s and Michael O’Laughlin’s verdicts would be life imprisonment.
O’Laughlin would die in a yellow fever epidemic while in prison at Fort Jefferson.
I am a proud member of the Universal Autograph Collectors Club (UACC), The Ephemera Society of America, the Manuscript Society and the American Political Items Collectors (APIC) (member name: John Lissandrello). I subscribe to each organizations' code of ethics and authenticity is guaranteed. ~Providing quality service and historical memorabilia online for over 20 years.~
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