Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1857-04-18
Srlctt Galr.
A THRILLING SKETCH.
THE LAWYERS BRIDE.
JUDGE EMsL>'s FIRST CLIENT.

|
| Old Judge Remsen OF Cowan was fond
Of telling his early experience at the bar. My
| first case, he would say, came upon me une1.
| pertedly, after had waited q considerable
| time for client. The way | came to get it,
was this:
A young girl, Helen Montressor. was to be
tried at our County Court for stealing a breast.
PIN valued al four dollars and $40 in gold,
from the trunk Of her employer, James Wes-
ley, merchant, in the town Of Bedford. The
theft, which Wa. detected five weeks before.
occasioned quite II talk at the time, as the girl
was beautiful, and Wesley and his wife Eunice
vas anything but that, besides being generally
dctes,ed. People said Helen had been treated
shametully by her mistress, who WAS jealous
Of her aud it was even limited that there had
been foul play in the prosecution for theft.
ihe subsequent trial Of II gang Of counter
letters and hnrse-ihleves had so absorbed
public attention, that the case Of Helen Mon
tressor was forgotten, and no one seemed to
care for her tate But when she was placed
IN the prisoners box. her hcauty riyeted every
eye, aud when the Judge asked her who was
her counsel, and she modestly replied she had
none, and no money to pay lawyer, there
was not member presrnt who would not
wIiugly have undertaken her case. The
Judge, after looking rouud for moment,
uxed his eye on me, and said, "Mr. Remsen,
you will please act as this Young ladys coun-
sell" | started as though had been shot
Luckily Juror was taken i'll. and tho court
adjourned till ten next morning, or ! am
afraid should have made sad work With my
Cheats case. .....
As | left the court room | looked AT my
watch; it was eleven. so had bu. twenty.
three hours to prepare. ! called uPon the
District Attorney aud asked to see the in.
dictmcnt, and the evidence taken before the
Justice of the peace. 4 he tnmbled over a
pile uf documents ia search Of the papers. he
said, "lhe Judge must have had spite against
you, Remsen, to put you in snch tight place,
and you green hand. No offence" he
added, as he observed the rising color OF my
cheek k--"no offence ] simply mean that you
are lnpxperiencrA There are ihe documents;
take them home with you-on!y be sure TO
bring them TO Court tomorrow morning.
You will see that your client has not Il
chance"
WAS annoyed a, this ligh, reference TO my
client, for whom | already entertained deep
respect and believed innocent; but ] said
nothing. Hastenng TO my Office. .ccHed
myself in and commeilcrd the analysis Of my
ease. The evidence consisted Of the testimo.
ny Of james and Eunice Wesley, Sarah
Brown, seumstress, Charlotte Boyce, do.
mestic. and Thomas ilahnegan, man Of ui
work. employed by the Wesleys. llunnegan's
evidence seemed straightforward aud truth
ful, aud so did the servant girls, made up
my mind that they were Gul nnGriendly to my
client an.i that | would seek an interview
Wiz. them. although it would necesState a
! journey to Bedford. In Miss Browns testi-
muny at once detected intense malice. and
determined to harrow her numerically in
cross-examinaiiun. Weslry's evidence was
similar in style and matter 10 that OF ilanne-
| gaa; but Mrs. Wesley's was full. dIscnrs!ve
and scrinonious--such as that "She had
always brlev-d Helen 10 be viper, but her
husband upheld the trollop." To my mind
the case seeuird clear; Mrs. Wesley herself
had put those things in llelen's trunk.
| next went to the Court House and re-
quested Mr.. Mace, the Sheriff, who lived in
the wing Of tn. huildng. to introduce me to
the nrisener. lie conducted me to her cell
Although the bolts clang,d heavily as they
snrang from the locks our entrance did rOl
20 attract her attention She was stand
lasped Lands before her grated
ng at the sky. The Sheriff
aud said. Miss Montressor
g lawyer who is to manage
IS to see you" She
round. and mado AT
indicate her read
not u word. The
were alone Con
Was precious,
must throw aside
ankly upon this