Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-06-18
VOL. 4...N0. 274

ing for her to ask about the lost money!"
"Because could not make up my mind at once to
expose the poor girl" she answered promptly.
lyon say you looked through the key-hole and saw
her take tho money! m tt4
"Yos, air."
"where did she put the lamp while she did so'"
'.On the Bureau h HiFp
aIn your testimony you said she stopped down
when she picked 1t mp What do you mean by that?"
The girl hcstated and finally said she didn't mean
anything, only that she picked up the lamp.
"Very wel' said |. "How long have you been
with Mrs. Naseby7' lrn.sf
mot quite year, sir
ailow much does she pay week."
"A dollar and three quarters"
have been theref'
"Yca sir
allow mnch2"
~ don't know, SIR aa. ss ssf
"Why don't You know2r
GLOW should n I've taken II at different times just
as | wanted It, and have kept account
Now II you had wished to harm the prisoner,
couldn't You have raised twenty five dollars to put in
her trunk2
"No sr,o she replied, with virtuous Indignation.
Thcn you have not laid up any money since you
have been there2p -rsr h 4fr
mo sir-ony what Mrs. Naseby may owe me-.
'Thcn yon didn't have twenty-five dollars when
you came there. w
"No, sir; and what's more, the money found ia tho
girls trunk was the money that Mrs. Nascby lost.
You might have known that, II you'd only remember
WnNt you near
This was said very sarcastically and was intended
~ erusher upon the idea that she could have put
the money into the prisoners trunk. However, was
not overcome entirely.
"Will you tell me ifyou belong in this State, ask
| ed next. tnl .r
II do sir.n
I'm what town.
She hositaed and for an instant the bold look for
sook her. But she finally answered.
| 81 belong In Somers, Montgomery county"
next turned to Mrs. Naseby;
'Do you ever take receipt from your girls when
| you pay them7' asked. # Ni
| Always she answered, .. a- l.u...l
"Gonld yon send and get one OF them for mcY
"she told the truth, sir, about my payments" Mrs..
Naseby said 1pt
90, don't doubt it, replied, "but ocular proof
ia tho proof for the court room 30, II you can;
wish you would procure tho receipts"
She said she would willingly go, II the Court said
The Court did say So and she went. Her dwell
ling not far Off and she soon rcturnedand hand
ed me four receipts, which | took and cxamined-
They were all signed In strange, struggling hand by
the witness Ilia Nt t
"Now, Nancy Luther said l, turning to the wit
ness, and speaking in quick startling tone, at tho
time looking her sernly In the eye 'pease tell
the court and jury and tell me too where you got the
seventy6ve dollars You sent to your sister In In So
mcrs y #fH 50 Ar Es Ii, ate
The witness startled Ms thougha volcano had burst
at her feet .'
She turned pale as death, and every limb shook vi
olenty. waited until the people could SEQ her e.
notion and then repeated the question, la. s,a.
| "I--neyer--sent anyr she fairly gasped
"You ddp Numbered, for was excited now.
I--I-ddn't,' she family uttered, grasping the
| ter till deth. NANCY LUTHER"
| rail for support ..
| "May Il please your honor and gentlemen of the
jury said rs soon AS had looked the witness out
of eonntenance, ~ came here to defend youth who
| had been arrested for robbing the mail and in my
course of preliminary examinations had access to
the letters which had been torn open and rihed Of
money When entered upon this case and the
name of this witness was pronounced, went and got
this letter which now hold for remembered TO have
seen bearing the signature Of Nancy Luther. The
letter taken out of tho mail bag and contained
seventy five dollars and by looking the post-nark
you will observe II mailed on the very next day
after the money taken from Mrs. Naseby's draw
or. will read IL to you, II You please.p eu
The Court nodded assent, and read the following,
which without date save that made by the post
masters stamp the outside. give here verba-
tim
"Siser Dorcas: send you here sevente-fve dolers,
which want yu to kepe II for me till | cum hum, |
cant kepe it here me afraid II will get stole not
speke wurd tn livin sole about this COZ don't
want nobodi TO know have got emmy money. Yu
wont will yn. am first rate deer only that gud for
nothing snipe of liz madwurth is shere-but hope tu
git rid Of her now yu know rote you bout her, give
my lnv TO nwl enquirer friends this Is from your sis
'Now, your honor" said, as handed him thelet-
ter and also the receipts "you will 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 II is
plain how the hundred dollars was disposed Of Sew
enty-ye 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 tho
real criminal OF the tone of the other parts of the
letter leave you to judge. And now, gentlemen Of
the jury leave my in your hands; only thank
God and know you will also, that an innocent per-
son has been thus strangely saved from ruin and dis
grace"
The case was given to the jury Immediately follow
ing their examination of the letter. They had heard
from the witnesses mouth that she had no mon
ey of her 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 moment and then rushed to the fair prison.
er He seemed forget where he was for he flung his
arms around her. and she laid her head upon his boz
som and wept aloud.
will not attempt to describe the that follow
ed but Infancy Luther had not been arrested for the
theft she would have been Obliged to seek the protec-
ton of the officers; for the enraged people would
have surely MANNED her, il they had done NO more.
Next morning, received note handsomely writ
ten in which was told that the within was but
slight token of gratitude due for my efforts in be-
half of poor, defenceless, but much loved maiden
It was signed "Several Citizens" and contained one
hundred dollars. Shortly afterwards the youth came
to pay all the money he could raise. simply show
ed him the note had received and asked him TO keep
| his hard earnings for his wife, when be got ono
He owned he had intended to make Lizzie Madwortn
4 his wife very so0n - -.
| Next day succeeded in clearing my other client
from conviction ofrobbing the mail; and made COM
sderahe handle of the fortunate discovery of tho let
ter which had saved an innocent grl on the day Do
I fore in nv appeal to the jury and II made them
fel that the finger Of Omnipotepcs IN the wcfk,
| T.aun olvv