American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-01-06
Judge Remeson's First Client.

ing his early experience at the bar. My
first case, he would say, came upon me un-
expectedly, after had waited consider
able time for client. The way | came
to get it was this:
A young girl, Helen Montressor, was to
be tried at our County Court for stealing
a breastpin, valued at four dollars, and
twenty dollars in gold from the trunk of
her employer, James Wesley, merchant in
the town of Bedford The theft, which
was detected five weeks before, occasioned
quite a talk at the time, as the girl was
beautiful, and Wesley and his wife Eunice
were anything but that besides being gen
orally detested. People said that Helen
had been shamefully treated by her mis-
tress, who was jealous of her; and it was
even limited that there was foul play in
the prosecution for theft.
The subsequent trial of gang of horse
thieves and counterfeiters had so absorbed
public attention that the case of Helen
Montressor was forgotten, and no one
seemed to care for her fate. But when
she was placed in the prisoners box, her
beauty riyeted every eye, and when the
Judge asked who was her counsel and she
modestly replied that she had no money to
pay lawyer, there was not a member Of
the bar who would not have willingly un-
dertook her case The Judge, after look
ing round for a moment, fixed his eye up
ON me, and said "Mr Remeson, will you
please act as this lady counsel" Fstart-
ed as tho / had been shot. Luckily a
juror had been taken sick, and the court
adjourned until next morning, or I am
afraid should have made sad work with
my clients case
As | lef. the court room I looked at my
watch; it was eleven, os hal but TWEEN
ty-three hours 3 prepare called upon
the District Attorney AMI asked him to see
the Indictment an I the er Ienca aiken be-
fore the Justice Of the Peace As he
fumbloi over a pile Of papo# he said
The Tulgo must have a spite against
you, Remeson, to put you n such tigh
place and you a green hand. No oiIense,'
he added, as he observed the rising color
of my cheek-"noo offense; simply mean
that you are inexperienced. There are
the documents, take them home,with you,
only be sure to bring them to court to-mor-
row morning You viii see that your eli
ent has not chance"
| was annoyed at this light reference to
my CLIENT for whom | already entertained
deep respect and believed innocent; but
| said nothing. fastening to my office,
| locked myself in and commenced the
analysis of my case. The evidence con-
sisted of the testimony of, James and Eu
nice Wesley, Sarah Brown, seamstress,
Charlotte Boyce, domestic, and Thomas
Hannegan, man of all work employed by
the Wesleys. Hannegan's evidence seem
ed straightforward anl truthful, and so
did the servant girls. | made up my
mind that they were not unfriendly to my
client. and that | would seek an interview
with them, although it would necessitate
a journey to Bedford. In Miss. Browns
evidence I at once detected intense NAL
ice, and determined to harrass her unmer-
cifully in cross-examination. Wesley's
evidence was similar in style and matter
to that of Hannegan but Mrs. Wesley's
was full, discursive, and acrimonious
such as that "She had always believed
Helen was a viper, but her husband up
held the trollop." To my mind the case
seemed clear; Mrs: Wesley herself put
those things in Helen's trunk.
next went to the Court House and re-
quested Mr.. Mace, the Sheriff, who lived
in the wing of the building, to introduce
me to the prisoner. He conducted me to
her cell. Although the bolts changed
heavily as they sprang from the locks, our
entrance did not seem to attract her at
tention. She was standing with clasped
hands before her grated window, gazing at
the sky. The Sheriff touched her arm,
and said, Miss. Montressor, Mr.. Remeson
is the lawyer who is to manage your case,
and he wants to see you" She started.
turned quick y around and made in incli-
nation of her head to indicate her readi
ness to listen, but she said not word.-
The Sheriff left the cell and we we've alone.
Conscious that every moment was pre-
,cious, | said:
!" Miss Montressor, we must throw aside
ceremony, and communicate frank y upon
this painful business ! believe you are
innocent. The thing ia to prove you SO.