Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-03-27
fiterarp 5fltftions.
HELEN MONTRESSOR.
BY MARL LEE.


most Unexpectedly, after had waited a
considerable time for client. The way
Icame to get it was this:
A young girl, named Helen Montres-
,or, was to be tried at our county court,
Beneyiew, for stealing breast-pin valu-
I'd at four dollars, and twenty dollars in
Oold, from the trunk of her employer,
one James Wesley, a merchant, who
lived in the neighboring town of Bed
ford. The theft which was detected
some FIVE weeks before, occasioned quite
q talk at the time, as the girl was very
beautiful, and James Wesley and his
wife Eunice were anything but that, be-
sides being generally detested. People
said Helen had been treated shamefully
bvber mistress, who was jealous of her;
ord # was even hinted that there had
been foul play in the prosecution for
theft The subsequent arrest Of gang
Of counterfeiters and horse-thieves had
50 absorbed public attention, that the
case of Helen Montressor was quite for
gotten, and no one seemed to care for her
fate. But when her case was called,
and she was placed in the prisoners box,
her beauty rivitted every eye, and when
the Judge asked her who was her coun-
sell, and she modestly replied that she
had no money to pay a lawyer, there
vas not member of the bar present who
would not have undertaken her case
The judge, after looking around the room
for a moment, fixed his eye on me, and
said. Mr.. Remson, you will please act
as this young lady's COUNSEL I started
as though 1 had been shot. Luckily a
Juror was just taken i'll, and the court
adjourned till ten o'clock the next morn
ing, or I am afraid that l should have
made sad work with my clients case.
As Ileft the court room / looked at
nv watch it was eleven o'clock so |
had but twenty-three hours to prepare
for the struggle. l at once called upon
the district attorney and asked to see the
Indictment, and the evidence taken be-
fore the justice of the peace. As he
tumbled over a pile of documents, in
search of the papers, he said, The
judge must have spite against you
RemsoD, to put you in such tight place
and you as green hand. No offence
my dear fellow he added, as he obsery,
ed the rising color of my cheek nc
offence; 1 simply meant that you are in
experienced. There are the documents
You may take them home if you like
only be sure to bring them to court to
morrow morning. You will perceive
on perusing them, that your client ha
not chance
1 was annoyed at this slight reference
to my client, for whom 1 had already en-
tertained the deepest respect and believ
ed to be innocent; but said nothing il
reply. Fastening to my Office, 1 locker
myself in, and commenced the analyst
Of my case. The indictment was, il
brief, what have already stated. Th
evidence before the justice of the peace
consisted Of the testimony of James an
Eunice Wesley, Sarah Brown, a seam
stress, Charlotte Boyce, domestic, an
Thomas Hannegan, man-of-all-worl
employed by the Wesleys. Hannegan'
evidence seemed straight forward an
truthful, and so did the servant girls.
made up my mind that they were not III
friendly to my client, and that I woul
seek an interview with them, althoug
1t should necessitate a journey to Bee
ford. In Miss Browns testimony &
once detected intense malice, and I dt
termined to harrow her numerically
my crOss-examination. Wesley's ev
dence was very similar in style and ma
Ter to that of Hannegan; but Mrs. Ell
nice Wesley's testimony was full, di
eursive and acrimonious-such, for il
stance, as that She had always believe
Helen to be viper, but her husban
mad upheld the trollop.' I remembers
the gossip about Helen's ill-treament ar
mrs Wesley's jealousy; and to m
mlnd the case now seemed clear I b
neVed that Mrs. Wesley herself had p
'Aose things in Helen Montressor's trun
next went to the court house al
requested Mr.. Mace, the sheriff, wi
AVed IN the wing of the building, to i
Eoauce me to the prisoner. He co
upeted me to her cell. Although L
oOi's changed heavily as they spral
IRON the locks, our entrance did n
seem to attract her attention. She "
'V1'l'As with elasped hands, before h