San Andreas independent., 1858-05-08

stop moment, young man, said the
Counsellor, rising, and with an distracted
ana vacant gaze; stop moment, | have
question or two to ask you ON behalf of
my unhappy CLIENT who now. feelino
the peril in which his life was placed he
gan to weep bitterly. The witness re-
seated himself, and Costelloe went on:
And so, sir, you accuse your friend of
robbery ?
| am sorry that my duty compels me
to give crimatory evidence against him
No doubt, no doubt His conviction
will gain you a step, eh ?
Sir, do you think that it was under
such an impression, and with such view,
that | gave my testimony?
Certainly | do
Amurmur OF disapprobation ran through
the court at this insult to the witness
The counsel for the prosecution looked
towards the bench for protection. The
Judge, however, did not interfere, nor
did he reprove the warmth with which
they exclaimed against the indecent in
sinuation of Costelloe towards a witness
whose testimony, from all that appeared,
could not 1e impugned but his lordship
evidently looked with interest to the de-
velopment of Costelloe's motive, knowing
well that he would not have committed
an indecorum so powerful without some
powerful secret reason. The witness him
self, disappointed at the failure of the
counsel for the Crown to interest the court
in his feelings, became red with indigna-
ton. OF these circumstances Costelloe
took no notice, but proceeded
'And so you swear, sir, that those iden-
tical pieces of gold in your hand this mo-
ment-where are they?' he asked rudely
of the solicitor for the prosecution
They were again handed to the witness,
and Costelloe resumed: 'And so you
swear, sir, that those identical pieces Of
gold in your hand were in the prisoners
keeping now mind, you are on your
oath =
Il do swear it.
Hand me those coins, SIR said Cos
telloe in tone that expressed rage and
fury. The witness complied, and handed
them to the counsellor, who looked upon
them with dismay. The witness was tri-
umphant. The prisoner trembled The
court was hushed. Costelloe sighed.
you have sworn positively, sir said
he, and it will be well for you, if truly
Here, sir, take your blood-money' He
stretched out his hand, with counte-
nance half averted, as with disgust and,
missing that of the witness, let fall the
mass into the hat before him, by the
sheerest accident in the world. | beg
your pardon, sir, for my awkwardness,'
said Costelloe to the witness; the only
approach to civility he had as yet mani
tested towards him. Then, putting his
hand into the hat and taking up single
piece. he said:
You persist in swearing, sir, that this
piece Of money, the property Of Mr..
Gleadowe, was in the prisoners custody?
Now mind, sir, none of your assumed
contempt
| mean nothing of the kind, sir
'Then why look it Recollect that
you are swearing away this poor mans
life. Do you still, say, fellow, that this
piece of money was in the keeping of the
/ prisoner
The witness, brow beaten and bullied,
became more irritated. Hetook the ducat
into his hand, and scarcely deigned to
glance at it, said 4 swear it 2
And this also| said Costelloe. taking
up another one, and presenting it to him.
And that also
And this ?
Yes"
And this, and this Z? said the knave,
producing from the hat, in succession,
twenty other pieces of similar kind
The witness was horror-stricken, his
hair stood on end The counsel for the
Crown looked blank the Judge family
smiled. The case was abandoned, and
the robber saved
The affair was quite simple. 1t Will
be recollected that Immediately after his
scrutiny with the ducats at the Crown
Office, which enabled him to fix in his
memory their dates and effigies, Costelloe
returned home; and that in the evening
of that day, his confidential clerk sailed
for Liverpool, the least observable of
routes On arriving there the man went
by mail to London, and thence by
Dutch packet to Rotterdam, where he
bought up a score of ducats of the dates
!, indicated by his master, with what effect
have just shown.
M