Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-05-08
always she answered.

always she answered.
( "Can you send and get one of theI
for me?''
"She has told you the truth, sir
about my payments" Mrs. Naseb.,
Isaid.
go, I don't doubt it," I replied
I''but still the occular proof is th
thing for the COURTROOM / added
with smile. "Soif you can, I wisl
you would procure me the receipts. ~
She said she would willingly go
! the court said so.
The court did say so, and she went
Her dwelling vas not far of, and she
soon returned, and handed me foul
receipts, which I took and examined
They were all signed in a strange
struggling hand, by the witness. ].
'Now, Nancy Luther said I turn.
ing to the witness, and speaking in q
quick startling tone, at the same
time looking her sternly in the eye,
"please tell the court, and the jury,
and tell me too, where you got the
seyenty-hve dollars you sent in a
letter TO your sister in Somers?''
The witness started as though a
volcano had burst at her feet. She
TUNED pale as death, and every limb
shook violently. waited until the
people could have an opportunity to
see her emotions, and then repeated
the questions.
"1-never-sent-an she fair
ly gasped.
@You didl' l thundered, for I was
now excited.
"I-I-didn't,' she family
uttered, grasping the rail by her side
for support.
"May tplease your honor, and che
gentlemen Of the jury" I said, as
soon as | had looked the witness out
of countenance, 81 came here to de-
fend youth who has been arrested
for helping to rob the mail, and in
the course Of my preliminary exam
nations, [ had access to the letters
which had been torn open, and riaed
of money, When | entered upon
this case, and heard the name of this
witness pronounced, I went out and
got this letter which | non hold, for
| remembered to have seen one bear
ing the signature Of Nancy Luther.
This letter was taken from the mail
bag, and it contained seventy-fve
dollars, and by looking at the post
mark, you observe that it was mailed
on the very next day after the hum
dred dollars were taken from Mrs.
N aseby's drawer. | will read it to
you, if you please .
The court nodded assent, and |
re ad the following, which was without
date, save that made by the postmas-
ter on the outside. 1 give it here
"SIsTER DoRcAs: cend yu heer
sevente iv dolers, which i want yu to
kepe for me til j cum hum. i cant
kepe it coz ime afraid it will git stole.
don't speke wun word tn a livin soul
bout this COS don't wont nobodi tn
no i hav got emmy mony. yu wont
now Will yu. am first rate heer,
only that guide fur nothin snipe Nv
liz madwurt is heer yit-but i hop tn
git red NV her now. you no irote
yu bout her. Civ my luv to awl In
quirin trends. this is frum yur sis
ter till deth
Nancy LUTHER
"Now, your honor" | said, as |
handed him the letter, and also the
receipts, "you will see that the letter
is directed to "Dorcas Luther, Som
ers, Montgomery County" And you
will also observe that one hand wrote
that letter and signed those receipts.
The jury will also observe, And now
! will only add: 1t is plain to see how
the hundred dollars was disposed Of.
Seventy-fye were put into that letter
and sent off for the safe keeping,
while the remaining twenty-five were
placed in the prisoners trunk for the
purpose of covering the real criminal.
Of the toue of other parts of the
letter, I leave you to judge. And
now, gentlemen, I leave my clients
case in your hands, only | will thank
God, and I know you also will, that
an innocent person has been thus
saved from ruin and dis
grace
The case was given to the jury
Immediately following their examina-
ton of the letter. They had heard
from tho u;tnoea'a own month that she