Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-07-31
Gboitf miscfllanp.
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The Criminal Witness.

In tie spring OF '4s | Was called 20 Jack
son e. attend court. having been engaged to
defend young man no had been accused
of robbing the mail had long confer
ence with my client: and he acknowledged
90 me tina, on the night when the mail was
robted, he had been with party of dissi-
pa,ed companions over to Topham, and that
on returning they met the mail-carrier on
horseback coming from Jackson. Some o.
his companions were very drunk, and they
proposed to stop the carrier and overhaul his
bag. The roads were very muddy at the
time, and the coach could not run. My C lent
assured me that he not only had 10 hand in
rubbng the mail, but that he tried L
dissraGe his companions from doing SO.
But they would not listen to him. One of
them slipped up behind the carrier and
knocked him from his horse. Then they
bound and blindfolded him, and having tied
him to tree, they took his mailbag and
made off into a neighboring field, and they
overhauled it, finding some five hundred dol
lars in money in the various letters. He
went with them, but in no way did be have
any hand in the crime. Those who did do
il had fed, and as the carrier had recogEiz d
him in the party, he had been arrested.
The mail bag had been found, as well as
the letters. Those 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 directed. an
aouncing the particulars. These letters had
been given me for examination, and | had
then returned them to the Prosecu ing At
torney.
got through with my private prelimina-
ries about noon, and as the case would not
come up before the next day, went into
the court in the afternoon to see what was
going on. The first case which came up
was one of theft, and the prisoner was a
young girl, not more than seventeen years
of age, named Elizabeth Madworth. She
was very pretty, and bore that mild, inno-
cent look, which we seldom find in a culprit.
She was pale and frightened, and the mo-
ment my eyes rested upon her, pitied her.
She had wept profusely, for her bosom was
wet, but as she found SO many eyes upon
her, she became too much frightened to
weep more.
The complaint against her set forth that
she had stolen one hundred dollars from q
Mrs. Naseby; and as the case went on !
found that this Mrs. Naseby was her mis-.
tress, she (Mrs. N. being awealthy widow
living in the town. The poor girl declared
her innocence in the most wild terms, anc
called on God to witness that she woulC
rather die than steal. But circumstance.
were hard against her. A hundred dollar
in bHnk notes had been stolen from her mis-
tress's room, and she was the Only one whG
had access there.
At this juncture, while the mistress wa
.spou the witness-s:and, asyoung man CAM
and caught me by the arm. He was 6n'
looking fellow, and big tears stood in hi
eyes.
"They tell me you are good lawySr!'
he whispered.
81 am a lawyer" I answered.
"Then-Ol-save her! You can certainly
d, it, for she Is innocent"
"Is she your sster!"
The youth kesitated and colored.
"No, sir" he said. "But-but-"
Here he hesitated again.
"Has she no counseli" I asked.
"None that's good for anything-nobod,
thst'll do anything for her. o, save her
and III pay you all I've got. ! can't pa,
you much, but can raise something"
reflected for a moment. cast my eve
towards the prisoner, and she was at tha
moment looking at me. She caught my eye
snG The volume of humble, prayerfu en-
treaty, Iread in those large, fearful orbs
resolved me in moment. In my soul
knew that the girlwas innocent; or, a, Iess
1 firmly believed so-and perhaps I coul