Volcano weekly ledger., 1856-01-12
An Escapade in the West.
BY "rnn UNKNOWN"

About three or four years ago-more or
lcss-I was practising law in Illinois, on a
pretty large circuit | was called on one day
in my Office in the town of c., by a
pretty woman who, not without tears, told
me that her husband had been arrested for
horse-stcaling. She wished TO retain me on
the defence ! asked her why she didn't go
to Judge B, an ex-senator Of the United
States, whose Office was in the same town.
Told her that was a young hand at the
bar &c.
She mournfully said that he asked a retain
ing far beyond her means, and, besids did
not want to touch the case, for her husband
was suspected of belonging to an extcn-
siye band of horse-thieyes and counter
fciters, whose head quarters were on MOores
Prairie
asked her to tell me the truth about the
matter, and if it was true that he did belong
TO such a gang.
"Ah, sir" said she, ga better man at
heart, than my George, never lived; but
he liked cards and drink, for | fear they've
made him do what he never would have
done if he had not drank! I'm afraid it
can be proved that he had the horse, but
he didn't steal it, another did and passed it to
himw
| didn't like the case | knew that there
was great dislike to the gang, located
where she named, and feared to risk the
case before jury. She seemed to observe
my intention to refuse the case, and burst
into tears.
| never could see woman weep, without
feeling like weak fool myself. If it hadn't
been for eyes frightened with "pearly tears"
(blast the poet that made 'em come in fashion
by praising 'em) I'd have never been caught
in the lasso of matrimony. And my would
be client was pretty. The handkerchief that
hid her streaming eyes, didn't hide her red,
ripe lips, and her snowy bosom rose and fell
like a white gull in gale of wind at sea. l
couldn't stand it. ] agreed to take the case;
she gave me all the particulars.
The gang, of which he was not member,
had persuaded him to take the horse. lie
knew the horse was stolen, and, like fool,
acknowledged IL when he was arrested
Worse still-had trimmed the horses tail and
name to alter his appearance, and the prose
cution could prove it.
The trial came on. | worked hard to get
jury of ignorant men, who had more hart
than brains, who. if they couldn't iathom the
depth Of argument, or follow the labrynthine
mazcs of the law could feel for young fel-
low in a bad scrape who mad weeping,
pretty wife, nearly broken-hearted and quite
distracted. Knowing the use of effect" |
told her to dress in deep mourning, and to
bring her little cherub Of boy, curly haired
and only three years old, into court, and to
sit as near her husband as the officers would
let her. tried that game once in a murder
case, and weeping wife and sister made
jury render verdict against law, evidence
and the judges charge, and saved fellow
that ought to have been hung as high as
Haman
The prosecution opened very bitterly, in
Weighed against the thieves and counterieiter
who had made the land terror to strangers
and travellers, aud had robbed every farmer
in the region of their finest horses. 1t in
troduced witnesses who proved all and more
than feared they would.
The time came for me to rise for the de-
fence. Witnesses-I had nonel But | was
determined to make one eflort-only hoping
so to interest the judge and jury as to secure