The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1863-11-13
The HOrse-SteaIers Of Illinois.
A LAWYERS STORY.

horse. stealing. She wished to retain
me on the defence. l asked her why
she did not 60 to Judge r., ex. Senator
of the United States, whose Office was
in that town, l told her that l was o
young man at the bar She mournful.
ly said that he had asked a retaining fee
beyond her means besides, he did not
want to touch the case, for her husband
was suspected of belonging to an exten-
sive band of thieves and counterfeiters,
whose headquarters were on Moore's
prairie. rm... ......
/ asked her to tell me the truth of the
matter, and if it was true that her hus.
band did belong to such band.
"Ah, sir" said she, "a better man at
heart than my George never lived, but
he liked cards and drink, and lam afraid
they made him do what he never would
have done if he had not drank. / fear
it can be proved that he had the horse;
he didn't steal it, though-another stole
it and passed it to him
didn't like the case. knew there
was great dislike te the gang located
where she named, and l feared to risk
the case before jury. She seemed to
observe my intention to refuse the case,
and burst into tears.
/ never could see woman weep with
out feeling like a weak fool myself. If
it hadn't been eyes Frightened by "pearly
tears" (blast the poet that made them
come into fashion by praiSing 'em y I'd
never have been caught in the lasSo Of
matrimony. My would.be client was
pretty. The handkerchief tth'st ti'sstt hid hid hei
streaming eyes did't hide her ripe lips ;
and her snowy bosom rose and fell like a
white gull in gale of wind at sea.
took the case, and she gave me the par.
ticulars.
The gang, of which he was not men,
ber, had persuaded him to take the horse.
He knew that it was stolen, and, like a
fool, acknowledged it when he was ar.
rested. Worse still, he had trimmed the
horses tail and name to alter bis ap.
pearance, and the opposition could prove
it. ....
The trial came up. l worked hard to
get jury of ignorant men, who had
more heart than brains, and who, if they
could not fathom the depths of argu.
ment, or follow the labyrinthine mazes
of law, could fell for young fellow in
a bad fix, a weeping, pretty wife, nearly
heart broken, ami quite distracted.
Knowing the use Of effect" told her
to dress in deep mourning, and bring her
little cherub of boy, only three years
old, into court, and sit as near the hus.
band as the officers would let her. |
tried the game once in murder case,
and a weeping wife and sister made a
jury render verdict against law, evil
dence, and the judges charge, and saved
q fellow that ought to be hung as high
as Haman.
The prosecution opened very bitterly,
and inveighed against thieves and coun'
terfeiters who had made the land ter
ror to strangers and travellers, and who
had robbed every farmer in the region
of his finest horses. 1t produced wit
nesses, and proved all, and more than
feared it would. The time came for me
to rise for the defense. But determin.
ed to make an effort, only hoping so to
interest the jury as to secure a recon-
mendation to gubernatorial clemency
and light sentence.
So painted his picture. A young
man entering into life welded to an an
gel; beautiful in person, possessing ev.
noble and gentle attribute. Temptation
lay before and all around him. He KEPT
a tavern. Guests, there were many; il
was not for him to inquire their business;
they dressed well, made large bills, and
paid promptly; at an unguarded hour
when he was insane with liquor, they
urged upon him he deViated from the
path of rectitude. The d mon alcoho
reigned in his brain, and it was his 6rst
offence. Mercy pleaded for another
chance to save him from ruin ; justice
didlnot require thathiS young wife should
go down sorrowing to the grave, and
that the shadow and taunt of a felor
father should cross the path of that
sweet child. o, how earnestly did
plead for them The mother wept; the
husband did the same; the jury looked
melting. If | could have had the clos
ing speech, he would have been cleared
but the prosecution had the close, anC
threw ice on the fire l had kindled.-
But they did not put it quite out.
The Judge charged according to Law
and evidence, but evidently leaned on
the side of mercy. The jury found {
verdict of guilty, but recommended thC
a prisoner to the mercy Of the court. Ny
d client was sentenced to the shortest i'm
i prisonment the court was empowered t
,s give, and both jury and court signed {
II petition to the Governor for an uncondi
I tional pardon, which has since beer
granted, but not before the following in
cident occurred. va . ....I
Some three months after this, l start
cd after dinner for c., intending tt
go as far as the village Of Mt. Vernon
that night. ...I.'4'.
l had gone ten or twelve miles, wher
I noticed splendid team OF doubl,
horses attached to a light wagon, il
which were four men, evidently Of th'
higher strung order. They swept pas
as If to show how easily they could d.
it. They shortened in and allowed IN,
to come up with them, and asked me t
drink, but excused myself with the plei
| that / had plenty on board. They ask