Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-06-03
THE LAW RS BRIDE
JUDGE REMEsoN's FIRST CLIENT.


Old Judge Remeson was fond of telling his
early experience at the bar. My first case, he
would say, came upon me unexpectedly, after
had waited considerable time for client.
The way l came to get it was this:
A young girl, Helen Montressor, was to be
tried at our County Court for stealing i breast
pin, valued at four dollars, and twenty dollars
in gold, from the trunk of her employer, James
Wesley, merchant in the town OF Bedford
The theft. which was detected five weeks be-
fore, occasioned quite a talk at the time, as
the girl was beautiful, and Wesley and his wife
Eunice were anything but that, besides being
generally detested. People said that Helen
had been shamefully treated by her mistress,
who was jealous of her; and It was even hint
ed that there was foul play in the prosecution
for theft.
The subsequent trial of gang of horse
thieves and counterfeiters had so absorbed pub
lie attention, that the case of Helen Montres-
sor was forgotten, and no one seemed to care
for her fate. But when she was place in the
prisoners box, her beauty riveted every eye,
and when the Judge asked her who was her
counsel and she modestly replied that she had
no money to pay lawyer, there was not
member of the bar who would not have will
lingly undertook her case. The Judge after
looking round for moment, fixed his eye up
on nae, and said, s'Mr. .Remeson, will you please
act as this lady's counsel.'' l started as tho
l had been shot. Luckily a juror had been
taken i'll, and the Court adjourned until next
morning, or 1 am afraid L should have made
sad work with my clients case.
AS left the Court room | looked at my
watch; it was eleven, so l had but twenty-three
hours to prepare. l called upon the District
Attorney and asked to see the indictment and
the evidence taken before the Justice of the
Peace. As he tumbled over pile of docu-
ments in search OF the papers, he said: .sThc
Judge must have spite against you, Rene
son, to put you in such tight place, and you
green hand. No, offense,' he added, as he
observed the rising color of my cheek-ssno
offense; l simply mean that you are inexperi-
enced. There are the documents take them
home with you-enly be sure to bring them to
court tomorrow morning. You will see that
your client has not chancc.''
was annoyed at this light reference to my
client, for whom already entertained deep
respect and believed innocent but said no.
thing. fastening TO my Office locked myself
in and commenced the analysis of my case
The evidence consisted of the testimony of
James and Eunice Wesley, Sarah Brown
seamstress, Charlotte Boyce, domestic, and
Thomas Hannegan man of all work employ
ed by the Wesley's. Hannegan's evidence
seemed straightforward and truthful, and so
did the servant girls. / made up my mind
that they were not unfriendly to my clent,and
that l would seek an interview with them, al
though it would necesState a journey to Bed
ford. In Miss Browns evidence | at once de-
tected intense malice, and determined to har
rass her numerically in cross-examnation.-
Wesley's evidence was similar in style and
matter to that of Hannegan but Mrs. Wes-
ley's was full, discursive and acrimonious
such as, that, esShe had always believed Helen
was viper, but her husband upheld the troll
lop.'' To my mind the case seemed clear;
Mrs Wesley herself put those things in He
lens trunk.
nezt went to the Court house, and reques-
ted Mr.. Mace, the Sheriff, who lived in the
wing of the building, to introduce me to the
prisoner. He conducted me to her cell. Al
though the bolts changed heavily as they sprang
from locks, our entrance did not seem to at
tract her attention. She was standing with
clasped hands before her grated window, gaz-
ing at the sky. The Sheriff touched her arm,
and said, ssMiss Montressor, Mr.. Remeson is
the lawyer who is to manage your case, and he
wants to see you.'' She started, turned quick
I
to indicate her readiness to listen, but she said
not word. The Sheriff left the cell and we
were alone. Conscious that every moment
was precious, said
"Miss Montressor, we must throw aside GER
emony, and communicate frankly upon this
painful business. I.believe you are innocent.
The thing is to prove you This promises
to be difficult but am not without hope. If
you tell me frankly what your experience has
been with the Wesley's my task may be light
| ened.''
/ then put series Of questions, and learned
that she was fifteen years old that she had
lived with Mrs. Wesley, who had been married
about eight years that she had lived with
kind old gentleman named Gregory, who had
taught her to call him grandpa; that Mrs.W
ley, who was then called Miss Nassmith, lived
with Mr.. Gregory, also that he seemed afraid
of Miss Naesmith that Miss Naesmith inner
tied all his property, and married Mr.. Wesley
ahont month after he died that she told her
never to call her grandpa any more, for he
wasn't any relation to her; that the day on
which old Gregory died he gave her sealed
package, and told her not to leave Eunice see