Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1862-04-25
" Why don't you know Z f"

prisoner could you have raised twenty-five
dollars to put in her trunk?"
mo sir, p" she replied with virtuous in
dignation.
Then you have not laid up any money
since you have been there?"
+" No sir, only what Mrs. Naseby may
owe me-
Then you did not have any twenty
FIVE dollars when you came there %
"No, sir and what's more, the money
found in the girls trunk was the money
Mrs. Naseby lost. You might have known
that if you'd remembered what you asked
her. This was said very sarcastically,
and was intended as crusher upon the
idea that she should have put the money
in the prisoners trunk. However, was
not overcome entirely.
"Will you tell me if you belong to this
state?"
Il do, sir"
{" In what town."
"She hesitated, and for an Instant the
bold lock forsook her. But she finally an
s#ered, g belong to Somers, Montgome-
ry county"
l next turned to Mrs. Naseby.
DO you ever take a receipt from your
girls when you pay them j? "
Always"
"Can you send and get one Of them for
me?"
She has told you the truth, sir, about
the payments, said Mrs. Naseby.
80, I don't doubt it, l replied, but
particular proof is the thing for the court
room. So, if you can, I wish you would
procure the receipt"
She said she would willingly go if the
court said SO. The court did so, and she
went. Her dwelling WIS not far of, and
she soon returned and handed me four re-
ceipts, which I took and examined. They
were signed in a strange staggering hand
by the witness.
"Now, Nancy Luther" l said turning
to the witness. and speaking in a quick,
startling tone, at the same time looking
her sternly in the eye, please tell the court
and jury, and tell me, where you got
the seventy-fve dollars, you sent in your
letter to your sister in Somers?"
The witness started as though volcano
had burst at her feet.She turned as1pale as
death, and every limb shook violently. l
waited until the people could have an op-
portunity to see her emotion. and then I
repeated the question,
"I-never-sent-any," she gasped.
"You did " 1 thundered, for was ex-
cited now.
"I-I didn't" she fairly muttered.
grasping the railing by her side for support,
Nay it please your honor and gentle
men of the jury" ] said as soon as I had
looked the witness out of countenance, :"
came here to defend man who was arrest
ed for robbing the mail, and in the course
of my preliminary examinations | bad ac-
cess to the letters which had been torn
open and robbed of money. When l en-
tered ups this case, and heard the name
of this witness pronounced, | went out and
got this letter which now hold, for | now
remembered having seen one bearing the
signature of Nancy Luther. This letter
was taken from the mail bag and it con-
tanned seVenty-fye dollars, and by looking
at the postmark you will observe that it
was mailed the day after the hundred dol
lars were taken from Mrs Naseby's draw
er. will read it to yeu, if you please"
Tre court nodded assent, aud | read
the following, which was without date, save
that made by the postmaster upon the out
side. / give it verbatim -
g SISTER DoRcUs -
cend va hear seventy five dolers wich
want yu to cepe fur me til l cum hum
cant cepe it cos i'm feerd it will git stole
don't speek wun word to livin sole bout
this don't want nobody to no i've got eny
mony, yu won't now will yu. am fust
rate hear unly that gude for notbin snipe
of liz madworth is hear yit-but hope to
git over her now. yu no rote to yu bout
her. Civ my love to al inquirin frens.-
this is frum yur sister til deth.
NANCY LUTHER"
"Now your bonor,' | said, as l gave
him the letter, and also the receipts, you
will see that he letter is directed 90 Dor
cas- Luther, Somers, Montgomery county.
And now I will only add, it is plain to see
how the hundred dollars were disposed of.
Seventy FIVE dollars were sent away fol-
safe keeping while the remaining twenty
FIVE dollars were placed in the prisoner
trunk for the purpose of covering the rea-
criminal. Of the tone of parts of the let
ter you must judge. I now leave my eli
ent's case ia your hands. "
The case was given to the jury immedi
ately following their examination of the