Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-01-12
SeI.ttsN Gale.
THE CROCK OF GOLD.
NJ maHrtN FAneunaa rurrKn,
as,Aor ef "Prsvsrsial PAiiesspAg."
CHAPTER XXI.
The Trial.

| The Trial.
The trial now came on, and Roger
stood accused Of robbery Iand murder.
| must hasten over lengthy legal tech
nicalities, which would only serve TO
lengthen my story, without adding one
iota TO its interest and usefulnoss.--
Nothing could be easier, nothing moro
worth while, as matter Of mere
book making. than TO tear a few pm.
gos out Of some musty record Of Grim
inal Court practice, or other Newghte
Calender piece Of authorship. and
wade through the length and breadth
OF indictments. speeches, examinations.
and all the other learned clatter Of six
hours in the judgment.halls Of law.
II the reader wishes for oil this, let
him pore over those unhealthy look
ING books. whose exterior Is dove col.
ored as tho kirtle of innocence, but
their inwards black as the conscience
of guilt: whitoned sepulehres, all spot
less without; but within thom are On.
shrined tho quibbling knavery. the
distorted ingenuity. the mystifying
learnedness. tho warped and warping
views Of truth, the lying. slandering.
bad-exeusing. good-condemning prin-
ciples and practices Of those who ca
tor for their custom at the guiltiest
felon's cell, and would glory in defend
ing Lucifer himself.
In the case Of sheer innocence, in
deed. as Rogers was-or In one Of
much doubt and secresy. where the
client denies oil guilt. and the counsel
sees reason TO believe him--let the
advocate manfully battle out his cause;
but where crime has poured out his
confessions in counsellor's ear--is
not this man bought by gold TO be a
partaker and abettor In his sins, when
he strives with all his might TO clear
the guilty. and not seldom throws the
hideous charge on innocence? II the
advocate has no wish TO entrap his own
conscience, or 10 damage the tissue of
his honor, let him reject the client
criminal who confesses. and only plead
for those from whom he has no assu-
rance Of their guilt; or. better far,
whose innocence no heartily believes
in.
Such an advocate was Mr.. Grantly.
barrister Of talents and experience.
who. from motives of the purest be-
nevolence, did oil that in him lay for
Roger Acton. In one thing. however,
and that Of no small import, the kind
ly cautious man Of law had contrived
TO do more harm thrn good; for, after
having secretly made every effort. but
in VAN, 10 find Ben Burke as wit.
ness--and after having heard that the
aforesaid Ben was notorious poacher,
and only intimate at Hurstley with
Acton and his family--he strongly
recommended Roger TO say nothing
about the man or his adventure. as
tho acknowledgment Of such an init
macy would only damage his cause;
all that need appear was. that he found
the crock In his garden. never mind
how he "thought" IL got thero;-
poachers are not much in the habit Of
flinging away pots of gold. and no ju-
ry would believe but that the ill-repu-
ted parsonage in question was an ac-
complice in the murder, and had shared
the spoil with his friend Roger Acton.
All this was very shrewd and we'll
meant, but was not so wise, for all
that. as simple truth would have been;
nevertheless. Roger acquiescd in il, for
q better reason than Mr.. Grantly's--
namely. this: his feelings towards poor
Ben had undergone an amiable revul-
sion, and, well aware how the whole
neighborhood were prejudiced against
him for his freebooting propensities,
he feared 10 get his good .natured,
rough friend into trouble il he men
toned his nocturnal fishing at Pike
island; especially when he considered
that little red Savings Bank, which,
though innocent as to the getting, was
questionable as TO the rights Of spend.
ing. and that, really, il he involved
the professed poacher in this mysteri-
Gus affair. he might put his liberty or
life into very serious jeopardy. On
this account, then, which Grace could
not entirely find fault with-though
she liked nothing that savored of con-
acknowledges agreed to abide by
Mr.. Grantly's advice; and thus he
never alluded TO his connection with
the poacher.