Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-06-11
THE CRIMINAL WITNESS.
LAWYERS srnRr-

LAWYERS STORY.
In the spring of 1913, | was called to Jack
son to attend court, having been engaged to
defend young man accused of robbing the
mail. had long conference with my client,
and he acknowledged to me that on the night
when the mail was robbed, he had been with a
party OF dissipated companions over to Top
ham. and that on returning they met the mail
carrier on horseback, coming from Jackson
Some of his companions were very drunk. and
they proposed to stop the carrier, and over
haul his bag. The roads were very muddy at
the time, and the coach could not run Nv
client assured me that he not only had no hand
in robbing the mail, but that he tried to dis
shade his companions. But they would not
listen to him. One of them slipped up behind
the carrier and Knocked him from the horse.
Then they bound and blindfolded him, and hav-
ing tied him to tree they took the mail bag,
and made off to neighboring field, where
they oyerhauled it, finding some five hundred
dollars in money in various letters. He went
with them but in no way did he have any hand
IN the crime Those who did it fled, and as
the carrier had recognized him in the party,
ne mad been arrested. The mail bag had been
found. as well as the letters. These letters
from which money had been taken, were kept,
by order of the officers, and duplicates sent to
the various persons to whom they were direct
ed. These letters had been given to me for
examination, and had returned them to the
prosecuting attorney.
got through with my private preliminaries
about noon, and as the case would not come
up before the next day, 1 went into the court
10 see what was going on. The first case that
came up was one of theft, and the prisoner
was young girl, not mere than seventeen
years of age, Elizabeth Madworth She was
very pretty, and bore that mild, innocent look
which we seldom find in culprit She was
pale and frightened, and the moment my eyes
rested upon her, pitied her. She had been
weeping profusely, for her bosom was wet, bat
as she found SO many eyes upon her, she be-
came too much frightened to weep more.
The complaint against her set forth that she
had stolen one hundred dollars from Mrs. Nase-
by and as the case went on, found that Mrs.
Naseby was her mistress, a wealthy widow,
living in town. The poor girl declared her in
nocence in the most wild terms, and called on
God to witness that she would rather die than
steal. But circumstances were hard against
her. A hundred dollars in bank notes had
been stolen from her mistress's room, and she
was the only one who had access there.
At this juncture, while the mistress was up
on the witness-stand, young man came and
caught me by the arm. He was fine-looking
fellow, and big tears stood in his eyes.
''They tell me you are good lawyer a'' he
whispered.
81 am lawyer answered.
"Then-Oi-save herl You can certainly
do it, for she is innocent
sis she your sisterl''
The youth hesitated and colored. '.No,
sir,'' he said "But-but-'' Here he hesi-
tated again.
elias she no counsel 7'' | asked.
ssNone that's good for anything-nobody
that'll do anything for her. o, save her, and
III pay you all I've got. l can't pay you
much, but can raise something"
l reflected for moment. / cast my eyes
towards the prisoner, and she was at that mo-
ment looking at me. She caught my eye, and
the humble, prayerful entreaty read in those
large, fearful orbs, resolved me in moment.
in my soul, knew the girl was innocent; or
at least firmly believed so-and perhaps l
couId heip her. | arose and went to the girl,
ana asked her if she wished me to defend her.
She SAID yes Then 1 informed the court that
was ready TO enter into the case, and was adj