Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-04-11
The Criminal Witness.

been engaged TO defend young mar
who had been accused of robbing the
mail. | arrived early in the morning
and Immediately had long conference
with my client. The stolen mail bag had
been recovered, as well as the letters
from which the money had been rlled.
These letters were given me for eXamn-
alton, and | returned them to the prose-
cutting attorney. Having got through
my private preliminaries about noon, and
as the case would not come of before the
next day, went into court in the after
noon TO see what was going on. The
first case up was one of theft, and the
prisoner was a young girl not more than
seventeen years Of age, named Elizabeth
Madworth. She was very pretty, and
bore that mild, innocent look that we sell
dom find in a culprit. She had been
weeping proiusely, 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 Mrs. Ndseby, and as the case went
on | found that this Mrs. Naseby. veal
thy widow living in town, was this girls
mistress. The poor girl declared her in
nocence in the widest terms, but crcum-
stances were hard against her. A hun
dred dollars in bank notes had been sto-
len from her mistress room, and she was
the only one that had access there.
At this inncture, when the mistress
was upon the witness stand, young man
came and caught me by the arm. He
was fine looking man, and big tears
stood in his eyes.
They tell me you are good lawyer,
lie whispered.
i am lawyer | answered.
Then do save Eerl You certainly
can do it, for she is innocent
l. she your sister,
mo, SIR he added, but, but here
he hpsta'ed.
Has she no council ? asked
None that's good for anything-noth.
ing ;hat'll do anything for her. Oh, save
her, and I'll give all I've got. cant
give YOU much, but can raise something
reflected a moment. cast my eyes
towards the prisoner, and she Was at that
moment looking a; me, She cacght my
eye, and the volume Of humble entreaty
] read in her glance resolved me in mo-
ment. 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 'oud
murmur Of satisfaction that ran quickly
through the room, told me where the
sympathies of the people were. la,ked
for moments cessation, that | might
tpeak with my client. went and sa;
down by her side. and asked her to state
canddly the whole case. She told me
that she had lived with Mrs. Naseby
nearly two years, and had never had any
trouble before. About two weeks ago,
she said, her mistress lost hundred dol
lars.
She missed it from her drawer, the
Girl said to me, and asked me about it..
That evening knew Nancy Luther told
Mrs Nascby that she saw me take the
money from The drawer-that she watch.
cd me through the keyhole. They went
to my trunk and found twenty-five dol
lars Of the missing money there. But,
sir, never took it, and somebody must
have put it there
ihen asked Ter if she suspected any
one.
i don't know size said, who could
have done it but Nancy. She never
liked me because she thought ! was bet
ter treated than she. She is the cook. |
was chamber maid