Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1856-06-20
Tho Criminal Witness.

jackson TO dttend court, navln8 Oeen
engaged to defend young man accused
Of robbing {, n:sil. had long con
ference with my client. and he acknowl
edged to me that ON the night when thu
mail was robbed, he had been with par
ty of dissipated companions over to Tap.
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 overhaul his bag. The
roads were very muddy at thu time, and
the coach could not run. My client as
sured me that he had not only had no
hand in robbing the mail, but that he
tried to dissuade his companion. But
they would not listen to him. One OF
them slipped up behind the carrier and
knocked him from the horse. They then
bound and bindfolded him, and having
tied him to tree they took the mail bag,
and made off to a neig g1boring field,
where they overhauled 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, he had
been arrested
The mail bag had been found. as we'll
as the letters. Those letters from which
money had been taken, we're kept by or.
der Of the officers, and duplicates sent to
the various persons to whom they were
directed. These letters had been sent
to me for examination, and l had return
ed them to the prosecuting attorney.
l got through with my private pre-
liminaries about noon, and as the case
would not come up before the next day,
went into the court to see what was go
ing on. The first case which came up
was one Of theft, and the prisoner was a
young girl about 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, pitit d her.
She had been weeping protusely. 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 Mrs. Naseby and as the case went
ON, found that Mrs. Naseby was her
mistress, wealthy widow, living in
town. The poor girl declared her inno-
cence in the most wild terms. and called
on God to with IS that she would rath-
er die than st-al. A hundred dollars in
bank-no had been stolen from her
mistress room, and she was the only one
who had access there
A. this luncture, while the mistress
was upon the witness-stand, young
man came and caught me by the arm
He was fine looking fellow, and biz
tears stood in his eyes
They tell me you are good lawyer
he whispered.
IL am lawyer" answered.
"rhen-Oh save her. You can
certainly do 1t for she is innocent.
.ls she your sister,"
The youth hcsitated and colored.
mo, sir. he said But-but-
Here he hesitated again
HAS she no counsel p asked.
"None that's good for anythins-no-
body that IL do anything for her. Oh
save her, and III pay you all I've got
l can't pay You much' but l can raise
something"
reflected for a moment cast my
eyes towards the prisoner. and she was
at that moment looking at me. She
caught my eye. and the volume of hum
large, fearful orbs, resolved me in a mo
men,. In my soul knew that the CIR
was innocent; or at least firmly believ.
ed so-and perhaps could not help her
arose and went to the girl, and asket
her if she wished me to defend her
She said yes. Then informed the eour
that was reai iy to enter into the case
and was admitted at once. The lout
murmur of satisfaction which ran thro
the room. quickly told me where thu
sympathies of the people were.
asked for moments cessation, tha
might speak to my client. went ant
sat down by her side, and asked her tt
state to me candidly the whole case
She told me that she had lived with Mrs
Naseby two years, and that during al
that time she hal never seen any trouble
before. About two weeks ago, sle sad
her mistress lost hundred dollars.
"She missed 1t from drawer tn
girl told me, land she asked me abou
it, but knew nothing Of it. he mex
thing l knew, Nancy Luther told Mrs
Naseby that she saw me take the none
from the drawer-that she watched m
through the key-hole They then wen
to my trunk. and they found twenty-fv
dollars of the missing money there
But Oh, sir, never took it-somebod
else put that money there. :"
l then asked if she suspected any ont
IL don't know" she said, "who coul
have done it but Nancy. She has nevt
liked me, because she thought wa
treated better than she was. She is ii
cook, and was the chamber maid"