Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1857-10-24
WARD& TW. .
A Lawyer,s Adventure.

a Lawyers Adventure.
About three or four years ago, more or
less, L was practising law in Illinois in
pretty large circuit. ] was called on one
day in my Office, in the town of C,
by very pretty woman, who not without
tears, told me her husband had been arrest
ed for horse stealing. She wished to retain
me on the defence. / asked her why she
did not go to Judge b., an ex-senator of
the United States, whose Office was in the
same town. told her | was a young man
ut the bar, sc. She mournfully said that
hc had asked retaining fec above her
means and besides did not want to touch
the case, her husband was suspected of be-
longing to an extensive band of horse thieves
and countcrfciters whose headquarters were
ON Mooro's prairie.
asked her to tell me the whole truth
of the matter, and if it was true her hus-
band did belong to such band
"Ah SIR" said she, "a better man at
heart than my George never lived but he
liked cards and drink, and | am afraid
they made him do what he never would
have done if he had not drank fear that
it can be proved that he had the horse he
didn't steal it; another did, and passed it
to him"
| didn' like the case knew that there
was great dislike to the gang located
where she nameu, and feared to risk the
case before a 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 had mt
been for eyes frightened by "pearly tears"
(blast the poets that made them to come in
fashion by praising 'em) | never had been
caught in lasso of matrimony, And my
would-bc client was pretty. The handkcr-
chief that hid her streaming eyes didn't
hide her ripe lips, and hor snowy bosom
rose and fell like white gull in gale of
wind at sea. took the case and she gave
me the particulars.
The gang of which he was not member,
had persuaded him to take the horse. He
knew the horse was stolen, and like a fool
acknowledged it when he was arrested
Worse still--hc had cut the horses tail
and name to alter his appearance, and the
opposition could prove it.
The trial came on. | worked hard to
get a jury of ignorant men, who had more
heart than brain who, if they could not
tathOm the depths Of the argument, or fol-
low the labyrinthinc mazes of the law, could
feel for young fellow in bad fix, weep
ing pretty wife, nearly brokenhcarted and
quite distracted. Knowing the use of "ef-
feet" told her to dress in deep mourning,
and bring her little cherub of boy, only
three years old, into court, and sit as near
her husband as the officers would let her
/ tried that game once in murder case,
and a weeping wife and sister made a jury
render verdict against law evidence and
the judges charge, and saved a poor fellow
that ought to have been hung as high as
Haman.
The prosecution opened very bitterly !;
inveighed against thieves and counterfeit
ers, VINO had made the land terror to stran-
gers and travellers, and who had robbed
every farmer in the region of their finest
horses. 1t introduced witnesses, and
proved all and more than thought it would
The time came for me to rise for defence
Witnesses had none. But determined
to make an effort, only hoping so to inter
est the judge and jury as to secure a re-
recommendation to gubcrnatorial clcmcncy
and slight sentence. So / painted his
picture. A young man entered into life,
welded to an angel; beautiful in person,
possessing every gentle and noble attribute
Temptation was before and all around him.
He Kept q tavern. Guests there were ma
ny; it was not for him to inquire into their
business; they were well dressed, made
large bills and paid promptly. At an un-
guarded hour, when he was insane with
the liquor they urged upon him, he had
deviatod from the path of rcctitudc. The
demon of alcohol had reigned in his brain /;
and it was his first offence. Mercy pleaded
for another chance to save him fro;a min
Justice did not require that this young
wife should go down sorrowing to the grave
and that the shadow of disgrace and tire
taunt of folon father should cross tho
path of that sweet child. Oh how earnest
ly did I plead for them The woman
wept; tho husband did the same; the
- .fdget sntls rubbed his eyes; the
If could have had
Dsimg speeSfF he would have been
eIds but the prosecutor had the'elosc