St. Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1845-1863, 1862-07-31
A SINGULAR Defence.

4 gentleman. followed by servant IN
livery, rode into an inn in the west of
England one evening, little before
duck. He told the landlord that he
should be detained Ly business in that
Iart of the country for few days. and
wi,lrd to know If th.rc were any aml>e-
mcnts going on in tic town to fill up
the intervals If time The landlord re-
lle.l that il was their race ana AISLE
week. and that he would. therefore. be
ut no loss t" pass away his leisure hours
tm the gcn,lrman's making answer that
this was fortunate. for that he was fond
"f hearing trials. the other saia that a
very interesting trial for robbery would
cc,ne Oh the mex, day. on which peo-
piss cpiui"ns We're much divided. the
evidence b.ihg very strong against the
prisoner: but the man himself persisted
r..olut.ly in declaring that he was in u
distant part Of .lc kingd"m at the time
the robbery Was committed.
The guest manifested considerable anx-
iriy to hear the trial but as the court
would probably -bc crowded. oppressed
.''mr doubt Of getting place. The land
l.ri tcld him that there could b. no
difficulty i'll - gentleman Of his appearance
f. ting scat but that to prev, ut ally az
ciirlt. he would himself 60 with him. and
speak to one Of the h"ailes Ac-
cordingly, they went into court the next
morning, and. through the landlords
lutte r.t with the officers Of the court, the
gentleman was shown to Il seat on the bench
i,es. nIly after. the trial began.
While the evidence Was proceeding
agains. him. the prisoner had remained
with his eyes fixed on the ground. seem
inely very much depressed; till "n being
called "n for his lcfrucc, he looked up. and
seeing the stranger, he suddenly tainted l..
This excited some surprise. and it seemed.
u, fir>t, like "a trick to gain time. As soon
"a he came TO himself. being asked by the
Judge the cause of hi. behavior, he sail:-
"Oh, my lord. see person who cal,
save my life: that gentleman" pointing
to The stranger. ''can prove am irnuccnt,
might Gully have leave t" pu, few ques-
tinns to him"
The eyes of the whole court were now
turned arun the gentleman. who sid he
fit in a very awkward situation To DC cal
led upon. as he did not remember ever to
have seen the Ran before, bu, that be
would auswer any question that WAS asked
him.
We'll. then" said the man, "don't you
remember lauding a, Dover, at such u
time
TO this the gentleman answered that he
he had landed ut Dover not long before,
but that he could not tell whether it was
on the day he mentioned, or not
WELL" said, he "but don't you rccol-
lcet that person. in blue jacket and
trowscrs. carried your trunk to the lin %
To this he answered, that of course some
person had carried his trunk for him but
that he did not knew what dress he wore.
But" said the prisoner. don't you
remember that the person who went with
y"n frum the boat told you a story of his
being in the service, that he thought HIM
self al illuscd man, and that he showed
YOU scar he had on one side Of his fore
head:"
During the last question the counter
anee of the stranger underwent consid-
cradle change. lie said he certainly did
recollect such circumstance, aud on the
,aau's putting his hair aside, and showing
the scar, he became quite sure that he saw
thc same person. A buzz Of satisfaction
now rang though the Court; for the day
os which. according to the prisoners ac-
count. the gentleman had met with him n,
Dover, was the same OF which he was
charged with the robbery in distant pan
Of the country. The stranger, however
could not he certain Of the time. Lut said
that he sometimes made a memorandum oil
dates in his pocket-hook. aud might posi-
lily have done SO "n this OCCASION. On
turning to his pocket-book. he found a
memorandum Of the time he landed, whicl,
c"rrcsp"ndcd with the prisoner. assertion.
This b,ipg the only circumstances neees>:,-
" tn prove the uliLi, the prisoner Was i'm
n, dia,ely acquitted, amidst the applause
aud congratulations Of til whole Court.