Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1856-05-22

tended as crusher upon the idea that she could
have put the money into the prisoners trunk
However, was not overcome entirely.
"Will you tell me if you Lelong to this
State p / asked next
Il do, sir"
g In what town ?"
She hesitated, and for an instant the bold
look forsook her. But she finally answered,
II belong in Somers, Montgomery County"
| ] next turned to Mrs. Naseby:
DO you ever take a receipt from your girls
when you pay them T" asked.
| Always" she answered.
Gould you send and get one of them for M"
"she told the truth, sir, about my payments"
Mrs. Naseby said.
Oh, don't doubt it," replied but ocular
proof is the proof for the court room. So, if
You can, l wish You would procure me the re-
ceipts"
She said she would willingly go, if the court
said so. The court did say so, and she went
Her dwelling was not far off, and she soon re-
turned, and handed me four receipts which l
took and examined. They were all signed in
| strange, struggling hand by the witness.
Now, Nancy Luther" said /, turning to
the witness, and speaking in 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 seventy-fve dol
lars you sent to your sister in Somers ~
The witness started US though volcano had
| burst at her feet
She turned pale as death, and every limb
shook violently. l waited until the people could
see her emotion, and then repeated the question.
1-ncver-sent-any !" she fairly gasped
You did !" l Numbered, for l was excl
ted now.
"I-I-didn't," she family uttered, grasp
ing the rail for support.
May it please your honor and gentlemen of
the jury" l said as soon as had looked the
witness out Of countenance, Il came here to
defend youth who had been arrested for help
ing to rob the mail, and in my course Of prelinl-
mary examinations, had access to the letters
which had been torn open and rifed of money
When / entered upon this CASE and heard the
name Of the witness pronounced I went ont
and got this letter which now hold, for ! re-
mcmbered to have seen one bearing the sigma
turc Of Nancy Luther. The letter was taken
out of the mail bag, and contained seyenty-five
dollars, and by looking at the post mark, you
will observe it was mailed on the very next day
after the money was taken from Mrs Naseby's
drawer. will read it to you, if you please"
The court nodded assent, and read the fol-
lowing, which was without date, save that made
by the post masters stamp Oh the outside. i
give here verbatim -
Sister Dorcas send you heer sevente Eve doers
which want yu to kcpc 1t for ME I'll cum hum, l
cant kept it here inc afraid it will get stole don't
spoke wun wurd tn Twin sole bout this don't
want nobody to know have got emmy money. You
wont will yu. am first rate heer, only that guide
tor nothin snipe o! liz madwurth is heer yit-but /
hope tn git rid Of her now. you kno rotc you bout
her. give my luv to awl enquirer friends this is
from your sister til deth. NANCY LCrnoR
"Now your honor" I said, as handed. him
the letter, and also the receipts "you will see
that the letter is directed to Dorcas Luther,
Somers, Montgomery County And you will
also 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 OF the tone of the
other parts Of the letter, leave you to Judge.
And now gentlemen of the jury, leave my case
in your hands, only thank God, aud know
you will also, that an innocent person has been
thus strangely saved from ruin and disgrace"
The case was given to the jury Immediately
| following their examination of the letter. They
J had heard from the witness own mouth that
she had no money Of her own, and without eav-
ing their Seats they returned verdict Of
Not Guilty"
The youth who had first askd inc TO defend
the prisoner, caught me by the hand, but lie
could not speak plainly. He simply looked at
me through his tears for a moment, and then
rushed to the fair prisoner. He seemed to for
get where he was, for he flung his arms around
her, and she laid her head upon his bosom and
wept aloud.
will not attempt to describe the scene that
followed but II Nancy Luther had not been
arrested for the theft, she would have been
obliged to seek the protection of the officers :;
| fer the excited people would have surely main,-
ed her. if they had done no more Next morn
| Ing, received a note, handsomely written. in
which was told that the within was but a
slight token Of gratitude due me for my efforts
in behalf ola poor, defenceless, but much loved,
maiden. 1t was signed Several Citizens" and
contained one hundred dollars. Shortly AFTER
wards, the youth came to pay all the money he
could raise. l simply showd him the note
had received, and asked him to keep his hard
earnings for his wife, when he got one. he
owned he had intended to make Lizzy Mad
worth his wife very soon.
| Next day / succeeded IN clearing my other
client from conviction Of robbing the mail !; and
made considerable Of handle Of the fortunate
discovery Of the letter which had saved an in
1 =. n