The statutes of the States of Chihuahua did not cover the hearing of such a case as the one about to be heard, but a recent special legislation did. Many of the legal fraternity were wondering if the case of “The Plunger from Kansas” would be the means of establishing a precedent which would make the special and temporary legislation, a general and permanent act of Congress in the near future.
Judge Ulloa, of the Supreme bench of the State, was one of the most advanced thinkers of the age. His success as a lawyer had been nothing short of marvelous; at least that was the opinion of the public, but he knew that his success was due to his knowledge of the “great powers that be.”
The case in hand was to him a supreme moment, for by special legislation it came under his jurisdiction. It was generally known that President Mortingo believed implicitly in the scientific revelation of Governor Lehumada and his able coworkers.
Arrangements had been perfected whereby the President of the United States, the cabinet, and many great legal minds, who were not able to be in attendance at the trial, could hear the testimony as it would be given in the Chihuahua court-room, by means of the soundcondenser, in their own private offices in Washington, New York, or whatever city in which they lived.
When the great throng rushed into the court-room at the hour of opening, the accused and the prosecutors (the Governor, Miss Hinckley, Guillermo Gonzales and Julio Murillo), with their respective attorneys, were seated conspicuously near the judge, and all eyes were immediately centered upon them.
For the benefit of the public, the great daily Chihuahuan contained a plan of procedure which the court would follow in the case of the “Plunger from Kansas,” in that morning’s issue, and now officers distributed programs, which explained every step to be taken.
It was a new order of things, but so far, it was exceedingly satisfactory to all concerned, and the public at large.
The statement of the case was first called. The attorney representing the scientists from one point of view, and Miss Hinckley, who claimed to be one of the injured in the great cattle robbery which occurred nearly two centuries ago, from another point of view, arose and said:
“Your Honors: The case for the hearing of which we have assembled to-day is one, as you know, of unusual occurrence, and is composed of such intricate features that the gross or impure element of humanity will look upon the testimony as out of the reason of man. But when all understand, the full force of the argument will be to them the most rational thing on earth.
“There is a divine law which proceeds from the ‘powers that be,’ which says that there must be an adjustment of all evil; if not in the life in which the sin was committed, then it will be repaired in another one of the lives which each person will live, until all evil he has committed will be punished through self conviction.