Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1861-09-21
A CRIMINAL WITNESS,

had been accused of robbng the mail.
arrived early in the morning, and imme
diately had long conference with my
client The stolen mail bag had been re
covered, as we'll as the letters from which
the money had been rihed. These letters
were given me for examination, and l re-
turned them to the prosecuting attorney
Having got through my private prelimi
naries about noon, and as the case would
not come off before the next day, went
into court in the forenoon TO see what was
going on. The FIRST case that came up
was one of theft and the prisoner was a
young girl no: more than seventeen years
of age, named Elizabeth Madworth. She
was very pretty and bore that mild, limo.
cent look, which we seldom find in a cul-
prit. She had been weeping profusely
but as she found so many eyes upon her,
she became too frightened to weep more.
The complaint against her set forth that
she had stolen hundred dollars from a
Mrs. Naseby, and as the case went on
found that this Mrs. Naseby, a wealthy
widow living in the town, was the girls
mistress. The poor girl declared her in.
nocence in the widest terms, but clrcum
stances were hard agans. her. A hun.
dred dollars in bank notes had been stolen
from her mistress room, and she was the
only one that had access there.
At this juncture, when the mistress was
upon the witness stand, young man
came and caught me by arm. He was q
fine looking man, and big tears stood in
his eyes.
They tell me you are a good lawyer"
he whispered.
am lawyer" answered.
The" d" awe her You certainly can
do it, for she is innocent"
is she your sister p
No, sir" he added; "but, but"
Here he hesi,ated
None that's good for anything--no.
body that'll do anything for her. o. save
her and I'll give you all I've got can,
give you much, but can raise something"
| reflected a moment. l cas-, my eyes
towards the prisoner, and she was at that
moment boxing at me. She caught my
eye, and the volume of humble eutreaty |
read in her glance resolved me in mo-
ment l arose and went to the girl, and
asked if she wished me to defend her.
She said yes. | then informed the Court
that was ready to enter into the case,
and was admitted at once. The loud
murmur Of satisfaction that ran through
the room told me where the sympathies OF
the people were. asked for few mo.
ment cessation that | might speak with
my client. | went and sat down by her
side aud asked her to state candidy the
whole case. She told he she had lived
with Mrs. Naseby nearly two years, and
never had any trouble before. About two
weeks ago, she said, her mistress lost q
hundred dollars.
"She missed it from her drawer the
girl said to me and asked me about it. |
said knew nothing about it. That even
ing know Nancy Luther told Mrs. Nase-
by that she saw me take the money FROM
the drawer-that she watched me through
the keyhole. Then they went to my trunk
and found twenty-five dollars of the mis-
sing money there. But, sir, never took
it, and somebody must have put it there"
then asked her if she suspected any
one.
al don't know" she said, "who could
have done it but Nancy. She has never
liked me because she thought was better
treated than she. She is the cook. l was
the chambermaid.'
She pointed Nancy Luther out to me-
She was stout, bold faced girl, some.
where about five and twenty years old,
with a low forehead, small grey eyes, a
pug nose, and thick lips. caught her
glance at once, as it rested on the fair
young prisoner, and the moment | detected
the look Of hatred which read there, l
was convinced that she was the rogue.
Nancy Luther did you say that girls
name was? Iasked, for new light had
broken in upon me.
Yes, SIR"
I left the courtroom and went to the
prosecuting attorney and asked him for
the letters had handed him-the ones
that had been stolen from the mail bag
He gave them to me, and having selected
ono, / returned the rest and told him !
would see he had the one kept before
night. then returned to the court room,
and The case went on.