Squatter sovereign., 1856-07-01
Miseellaneolls .
THE CRIMINAL WITNESS.

=,
Jackson to attend court, having been en-
gagged to defend young man accused OF
robbing the mail. had long conference
with my client, and he acknowledged to
me tI.at on the night when the mail was
robbed he had been with party OF dissi-
pated companions over to Tapham. and
that, on returning, they met the mail-car-
rier on horseback coming from Jackson.
Some of his companions were very drunk,
and they proposed to stop the carrier and
| orerhaui his bag. Tie roads were very |
| muddy at the time, and the coach could
not run. My client assured me that he
not only had no hand in robbing the mail,
but he tried to dissuade his commanions.
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 blind-folded him, and having
, tied him to tree they took the mailbag
and made off to neighboring field, where
, they over hauled it, finding some Ave hun
,, dred dollars in money in various letters.
a He went with them, but in no way did ne
; have anv hand in the crime. Those who
did 1t fed, and as the carrier had recog-
d .nizea him IN the party, he had been ares
ted.
v The mailbag had been found as well
y as the letters. These letters, from which
money had been taken, were kept by Or
in der of the officers, and duplicates sent to
the various persons to whom they were d.
rected. These letters had been sent to me
= for examination, and had returned then
10 the prosecuting attorney.
O. got through with my private prelIml
naries about noon, and as the case woult
oil not come up before the next day wen
into the court to see what was gong on
kc The first case which came up was one
ev theft, and the prisoner was young gu
IN not more than seventeen years oil age
h named Elizabeth Madwor,h. She wa
re very pretty, and bore that mild, lrs1ocer
look which we seldom find in cuiprl
10 70 She was pale and frightened, and the nc
cia ment my eyes rested upon her l pltied he
r She had been weeping profusely, for he
bosom was wet, but as she found SO man
eves upon her she became too much frlgh
ened to weep more.
= The complaint against her set forth th'
She had stolen one hundred dollars fro
Mrs. Naseby; and as the case went O.
I found that Mrs. Naseby was her mi
tress, a wealthy widow living in tow
The poor girl declared her innocence
the most wild terms, and called on God
witness that she would rather die than stei
. hundred dollars in bank notes had be-
stolen from her mistress room, and 81
was the ONLY one who had access there.
AT this iuncture, while the mistress "
on the witness stand, young man car
ahd caught me by the arm He was fl
looking fellow, and big tears stood IN
eyes.
"They tel me you are good iawye
he whispered.
's' Il am lawyer" answered.
,g, Then-O l-save her! You can
,ainly do it for she is innocent"
lis she your sisters"
The youth hssitated and colored.
"No. sir" he said. But-but--
"Has she no counsel 3" asked.
"None that's good for anything
body ,hat'n do anything for her. o, 81
her, and I'll give you all Eve got.
can't pay you much, But can raise sol
thing"
Irefected for moment. l cast
eyes towards the prisoner, and she was
that moment looking at me. She eau
my eye, and the volume of humble pr
ferful en,reaty read in those large, tea
orbs, resolved me In moment. In
soul knew the girl was innocent; ol
least firmly believed so-and rerhal
could help her. I arose and went to
girl. and asked her if she wished m
defend her. She said yes. Then [
formed the court that was ready to e
into tie case, and vas admitted at Q
T,. lona ,nurmur of satisfaction W
ran through the room quickly told
where the sympathies of the people
asked for moments cessation, 4
might speak to my client. | went an
down by her side. and asked her to sta
me candidly the whole case. She toi
that she had lived with Mrs. Naseby l
iy two years. and during all that tim
had never had any trouble before. 4
Two weeks ago, she said, her mistres
IA hundred dollors.