The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1859-10-28
THE FALSE WITNESS.

THE FALSE WITNESS.
In tho year 1906, l chanced, during a
tour through New Hsmpshiro, to stop at
the little town ofBosoowUn. The woath-
er was, a. we say falling; and / thought
Il best TO spend a few days In the desert.
ed mud-hole ! was In, particularly as I
heard my classmate, Daniel Websterwas
praotioing law there. Daniel had been
queer boy at college, not much Of a
student3 nor one ofyour Eighty geniuses,
fbut a grave and straight forward reason
er, with whom none Of the professors,
could coEtend in argument and whose gen
eral ability, as well as unbending stern
ness and strength Of character had been
acknowledged by us. Getting a direc-
tion from my landlord, l put out amid the
storm, for Daniels Office, and after few
inquiries foundit. There / discovered the
young statesman, his shaggy and massive
head leaning upon his hand, engaged in
close conversation with young man a.
bout our own age, whose light, fair coun-
tenance was cloudod and worn. MY old
cless-mate recognized me, and desiring
his client to come again in the morning,
he waited upon him 10 the door with an
air Of kindness that seemed to speak more
than common sympathy with him, and
then, returning, shook my handi in his own
hard and lion grasp. As soon as the pre-
lininaries were over, asked him con-
cernlng the young man who had Just gone
out, and whose appearance Interested me.
lsHe'sa CLIENT" said Webster, "a poor
/ fellow that's 70 bo tried tomorrow for
highway robbery, and God knows hii
chance is poor one, though he's as Ia.
nocent as his own babe" "Ha9 is no
married thenr' "Heis," said the lawyer
and saw the tears gather In his dark eye
for he was young then-s'he is" sait
he, "and 20 the fairest and best beingthal
ever trod this earth; and yet they must bS
ruined unless heaven raises up help fol
thami human ingenuity can do nothing
4 ! begged iim % eel. mo the young mani
story, which he did with great degreeo
feeling, which / had not believed Web
Ster capable. The circumstances werI
briefly as follows:
Ellen Staunton, the beautiful daughte
of good old farmer in the neighboFhoO'
had Oh account Of her lovelinoss goot
sense, andsweet temper, won all the spar
hearts Of the village aroud. After mucl
courtship by an parties, Tom Slater, th,
young man who had Just gone out, an oil
plaYfellow Of Webster's, had won tho fai
ELLEN, and they had now been married a
bout two years. OfSlater's rivals, all 70
tired to private life and comfort, and quie
again save two; one was Sam Brentf0rd
who was desperately smitton with Ellen
and soon LEFT the village, and after shor
visit the winter previous, went 10 Europe
the other was JHoobo how, a young MAJ
4 Of the true old fashioned, New Englan
hard principle; based upon reflection an
calculation, without BIT Of warmth o
passion % back Il. He was rich, and a
L happened, a creditor Of Sl1ter's at I'll
time Of the marriage. Piqued and disap
pointed, be called upon him at once I
pay. Slater wished q little time; ma
riaRe expenses, Sc, came little hard 0
him, but In few months hewould see a
settled. But the clue with Jacob wa
"Nowp and os he had naked justice 0
his side, he felt no compunction in presi
ing the claim. Slater however, coul
not and w0lld not pay; no was sued th
2 suit went from court 70 court, and as
4 happened th7 poor man was never abl
topay. And % things had stood for tw
years, when just as Jacob thought to tax
out his execution, and sell his rivals prol
erty before his face, and feast on the mil
cry Of the girl that had rejected him, Sll
: ter went suddenly forward, paid the del
principle and interest, and the hone
scoundrel was deprived OF his revenge
Where Slater gothis money was q my
terry 70 the whole town. he said he re
ceived L from some unknown ffien
through the Post Ofce; and the pos
i. master said such q letter had been give
!. him as described, bun L had been put
Here, and did not come by mail, Just b
fore the money was paid BY Slater, a TIA
}, Ter on horseback had been robbed nei
i. town, on the northern road; the COUNT
y had been raised, but no trace Of the rol
I Der was found, and as the traveller ha
gone on, the matter had died away. On
morning the whole village was starile
y BY the intelligence that Tom Slater hl
: been arrested a. the robber, ON the test
mony If an old farmer, whoWas riding Il
? 20 town, and was in sight when the tru
eier was attacked, and whose SHOUTS be
put Tho orobber 10 flight Nobody belle
ed mom4nt in Slater's guilt, strong
appaaTance were against HIS; bis Wit
: however. was almost crazy, and he va
himself thrown into state Of fdespaiFthl
Z seemed ofiiaelfsuspicious. he had se'
bound over % take his triali bic Old pla,
fellow, Webster, vas 10 ho bic counae
. and the morrow the day Of his desliny,-
Such were The outlines Of tho csse, aud
Wobalef's feqleat, determined 70 after
The trial. Accordingly alter aniehtepei
p IN wishing was a great lawyer, or q q
pornaiufal witness, than ! might OLE
this young man, went over DileF hFeal
I fast, and taking our horses we rode 70 Il
?, court house. win pass BY al the q
ltails og country Judges taking theif scat