Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-05-28

Ahe hltneSS started as lnouSn Vol-
cano had burst at her feet.
She turned pale as death, and every
limb shook violently. 1 waited until
the people could see her emotion, and
then repeated the question.
al never = sent = any!" she fairly
gasped.
"You did, 1 Numbered, for 1 was
excited now.
II didn't" she family uttered,
grasping the rail fer support.
''May it please your honor and gen.
tlemen of the jury" l said as soon as l
had locked the witness out of countea-
ance, Il came here to defend a youth
who had been arrested for helping to rob
the mail, and in my course of prelimi-
nary examinations, had access to the
the letters which had been torn open
and rifed of money. When l entered
upon this case, and heard the name of
this witness pronounced, l went out and
got this letter which 1 now hold, for
remembered 10 have seen one bearing
the signature of Nancy Luther. Tie
letter was taken out of the mail bag,
and contained seventy-five dollars, and
by looking at the post mark you will OBJ
serve it was mailed on the very next
day after the money was taken from
Mrs. Naseby's drawer. 1 will read it to
you if you please
Thecourt nodded assent, and Tread the
following, which was without date save
that made by the post-master's stamp on
the outside. l give it here verbalim:-.
Sister Dorcas; send you hcer seven
tc five dolers, which want yu TO kepe
it for me til cum hum. i cant kepe it
heer cos ime afraid it will get stole, don't
speke wun wurd tu livin sole bout this
coz don't want no bodi to know i have
got emmy money, w wont will yu. am
frs: rate heer, only that guide for no;hin
tsnipe of liz madwurth is heer yit-but
hope tn git rid of her now. yu kno
rOte you about her. give my luv to awl
enquirin frenns. this is from your sister
til deth. NANCY LUTHER.
''Now, your honor" said, as l hand.
ed him the letter, and also the receipts,
''you will see that the letter is directed
to Dorcas Luther, Somers, Montgomery
County. And you will observe that one
hand wrote that letter and signed those
receipts. 1t is plain how the hundred
dollars were disposed of. Seventy FIVE
were in that letter and sent away for safe
keeping, while the remaining twenty five
were placed in the prisoners trunk for
the purpose of covering the real criminal.
0fthe tone oflhe other parts ofIhe letter,
l leave you 10 Judge. And now gentle
men of the jury, leave nv case in
your hands, only I will thank God, and
| know you will also. that an innocent
person has been thus strangely saved
from ruin and disgrace"
The case was given 10 the jury imme-
diately following their examination of the
letter. They had heard from the wit
ness's own mouth that she had no mon
ey of her own. and without leaving their
seats they returned verdict of-"Not
Guilty"
The youth who had first asked me TO
defend the prisoner, caught me by the
hand, but he could not speak plainly
He simply looked at me through his tears
for a moment, then rushed 10 the fair
prisoner. He seemed 10 forget where
he was. for he flung his arms around her,
and she laid her head upon lis bosom
and wcpt aloud.
l will not attempt to describe the
scene that followed; butif Nancy Luther
had not been arrested for theft, she
would have been obliged 10 seek the pro
lection of the officers; for the excited
people would surely have manned her,
if they had done no more. Next morn
ing l received a note, handsoms ly writ,
zen, in which was told that the within
was but slight token of gratitude due
ne for my efforts in behalf of poor, de-
'enceless but much loved maiden. 1t !,
was signed "Severll Citizens" and con-
aimed one hundred dollars. Shortly af-
erwards, the youth came to pay all the
money he could raise. I.simply showed
lin the note had received, and asked :
lin to keep his hard earnings for his :,
wife when he got one. He owned he !.
Intended to make Lizzy Madworth his
wife very soon.
Next day, succeeded in clearing my
ther client from conviction of robbing
he mail; and made considerable hand.
f the fortunate discovery of the letter :,
Rhich had saved an innocent girl on '
he day before. in my appeal 10 the ju-
y; and if made them feel that the fin
er of Omnipotence was in the work, it "
Ias because 1 sincerely believed the
oung man was innocent of all crime;
nd am sure they thought so too. :
'Mr. Smith, the hogs are getting into "
our corn6eld.' Never mind, Billy, I'm Il
leepy, corn won't hurt EN- is