At the trial of Sheriff Marlin and his lieutenants, Trueman distinguishes himself by the searching line of questions he puts to the sheriff’s deputies and two lieutenants, who are placed on the witness stand.  In cross-examination he succeeds in eliciting the fact that the only “weapons” carried by the miners were the two flag staffs.

He brings to court as witnesses men who had been shot in the back as they had run to escape the deadly fire of the deputies.

One of these men, carried to the court room on a cot, testifies that he ran up the embankment and had fallen at the feet of one of the deputies.

“I begged of him to spare my life; that I had a wife and six children.  He stepped back a pace and pointing his rifle at my head, fired.  The bullet grazed my temple.  I rolled over.  He thought I was dead.  I lay there motionless for several minutes.  Then I was struck in the shoulder by another bullet.”

This testimony causes a tremendous sensation.

The defendants counsel asks for the recall of the witness the following day.  He is brought to court and answers two questions.  Then with a groan he turns on his side and dies in the presence of the crowded court and before the very eyes of his assassin.

The trial is a travesty on justice.  The jury is composed of men known to be in sympathy with the prisoners.  The deputies are in court each day fully armed.  They make no pretext to conceal their pistols.  This is done to influence the jury to believe that the deputies had shot in self-defense.  Both Sheriff Marlin and Captain Grout are acquitted; but they are not vindicated in the eyes of the people of the United States or of Wilkes-Barre.

Trueman emerges from the trial as the recognized champion of the people.

It has taken twelve weeks to try the case.  The cost of this victory for the Coal Barons is one hundred and twenty thousand dollars.

Sister Martha and Harvey meet frequently.  She is a great aid to him in getting information from the miners.  She is inspired by the grand results that Trueman realizes for the poor miners whose cases he handles.  She hears him mentioned as the candidate for some office, and asks him if he would accept it.

“I do not wish to mix in local politics,” Trueman tells her.  “I might accept the office of Congressman; but it is impossible to elect a candidate of the miners in Pennsylvania.”

Early in May a call is sent out through the several States for delegates to attend an Anti-Trust Conference in Chicago.  This Conference is deemed urgent as the outgrowth of an atrocious move on the part of the Magnates who seek to vitiate the laws of the United States as applied to capital.

Martha asks Trueman if he will accept the appointment as a delegate from the State of Pennsylvania.  He signifies his willingness to do so; but doubts if the miners outside of Wilkes-Barre hold him in high enough esteem to so honor him.