Maryland free press., 1866-08-16
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About rss or osH ioSf years sasa ago, NOR.
was practiciug law in Illinois, in pretty large
circuit xns called on qps day q Ry 4iliis g
the town 0fe by very P Iet.y .0, woman, a.,,
band had, been arrested for horse STEALING. She
wished TO retain me on the defense. ] asked her
whyIshei did not got,oJudge b., an Icxsseustor
of the United States, whose Office was ip the same
town told her thar was a'young man of the
bar, &c. She mournfully said that he had asked
| o retaining fee above her means aud besides did
not want. TO touch the case, for her husband was
suspected Of belongiagto an extensive land OF
horse thieves and counterfeiters whose headquar-
ters were on Moore's prarie. i--'al 20 ~ 2I !
asked her to tell me the whole truth of the
matter, and if it was true that her husband did
belong to such a band. A' p! -'t'r-ai.' S.aH -
z isAh sir, q said she, "a better man at heart
than my George never lived bnt he liked cards
and drink, and Tam afraid they made him do
what he never would have done if he had not
dranh. fear il can be proved that he had the
horse; he didn't steal it; another did and passed
it over to him. -,r,,. .t. El. Nfs, hu,
! didn' like the case knew there was
great dislike 10 the gang located where she NAM
ed; feared TO risk the cass before . jury. She
seemed to- observe my intention to refuse the
case and burst into tears. 81. u Els - =
/ Inever could see woman weep without feel
ing like weak fool myself Ifit hadn't been for
eyes frightened by pearly tears, (blast the poet
| that made them come into .sashion by prasing
them) IN never been caught in the lasso Of mat
rimony. Andmy would he client was pretty
The handkerchief that hid her streaming eyes
/ didn thide her ripe lips, and her snowy tosom
rose and Elliike n white gull in pale of wind at
sea. took the case and she gave me the partic-
ulars. -'-' ''' %, ,'''' : \.
n
suaded him to take the horse. He knew the horse
was 81 olen and like fool acknowledged itwhcn
he was arrested. Morse still, he trimmed the
horses name aud fail IN alter his app. arance, and
the opposition could prove it. ~ ION ''"
| The trial came on. tried hard TO get jury
of ignorant men, who had more heart than brains;
who if they could not f,thom the depth OF. argu-
ment, or follow the labyrinthc mazes of tho law
could feel for young fellow in a bad fig, weep
| ing pretty wife, nearly broken hearted, and quite
| distracted, Knowing the use Of EFFECT, +" told
her to dress in. deep mourning and bring hcr lit
| tie cherub ofa boy, only three years old, into
court and sit as near her husband AS the officer
would let her. / tried the game once in muir
der case, and a weeping wife aud sister made a
jury render verdict against law, evidence and
the judges charge, and saved fellow that ought
to have been hung higher than Hannah,
The prosecution entered very bitterly; inveigli-
ed against thieves and counterfeiters, who had
made the land terror to strangers and travellers,
O I'D who had robbed every farmer in that rrgion
of their finest horses. 1t introduced witnesses
and proved all and more than feared it would.
The time came for me to rise for the defense
i Witness had none. But l. determined to make
an effort, only hoping SO to interest the Jury as c
secure a Recommendation to guberratorial cle-
mency and u light sentence. So | painted th'i
picture: ..t....
/ young man entered into life, welded an an.
gel, beautiful in pereon, possessing every noble
and gentle attribute. Temptation was before
and all around him. He kept a tavern. Guests
there were many; it was not for him TO inquire
into their business; they were well dressed; made
large bills and paid promptly. At an unguard-
4 cd hour, when he was insane with the liquor
they had urged upon him, he had deviated iron
the path of rectitudc., The demon ofalcohol had
reigncd in his brain, and it was his first oHense
Mercy pleaded for another chance to save him
from ruin. Justice did not require that hi;
j young wife should go down so-rowing 10 The
the grave aud that the shadow and disgrace and
taunt of Il felon father should cross the path o
that sweet child. y, how earnestly did plead
for them. The woman wept the husband did th,
same; the Judge fidgeted and rubbed his eyes; thu
jury looked melting. II could have had thu
closing speech he would have been cleared; bu
the prosecutor had the.cosc, and threw ice til,
fire had kindlcd. But that did not quite put i
out. H .-. laIsg. H.a .aI
The Judge had charged according to law ant
evidence, but evidently leaned ON the side q
mercy. The jury found verdict Of guilty, bu
unanimously recommended the prisoner to th,
mercy of the court. My client was sentenced t,
the shortest Imprisonment the court was empow
cred to give, and both jury and court eigned 4
petition to the Government for an unconditiona
pardon, which has since been granted, but no
before the following incident occurred:
Some three months after this received an &c
count for collection from q wholesale house il
New York. The parties 10 collect from were hare
ones, but they had property, and before they hat
an idea of the trap laid, had the property
which they were about 10 assign before they
broke, under attachment. Finding was necl
ahead and bound to wiz, they 'caved in ant
''forked over" three thousand seven hundred au'
nincty-iour dollars and eighteen cents per MEM
orandum book) in good money. 10. l..g :
} They lived in Shawneetown, about thirty-Gv
or forty miles Southeast of Moore prarie. | re
ceived the funds just after bank opening but 9th
er business de,aiued Inc until after dinner.
then started for c., intending to 60 IS fl
as the village Of Mt. Vernon that night. q
had gone about ten or twelve miles, when
noticed splendid double team of horses attacht
to light wagon, in which were seated four me
evidently Of tic high strung order. They swep
rs il to show how easily they could do 1t. The,
shortened in and allowed me 10 come up wit
them and hailing me, asked me TO wet" or i
other words tr diminish the onteuts ofa jug
old rye they had aboard. They asked Inc ho,
far was going. | told them MS far as Mt. Veri
! on, if my horse id MT tire out. They mention
, ed pleasant tavern ten or twelve miles ahca
US nice stopping place and then drove ON.
did not like the looks of those fellows, nc
their motions, But Lad brace of revolver
and nice knife; my money was not in vsslise Q
" in my sulky but in a belt around my body.
i drove slow in hope that THEY would SO on an
, | would see them no more. II was nearly dar
when saw a tavern sign ahead. At the sim
time saw their own wagon standing before I'll
door. would have pressed on, but my hors
need rest. hauled up al a woman came to I'll
door. She turned as pale us a sheet when sl
. saw me; she did not speak, but with a meanin
: look she put her finger on her lips and beckone
!, me in-she was the wife Of my late client.
When entered the party recognized rue, an
: hailed me rs an old travelling friend; and aske
i me to drink. respectfully declined to do so.
! "By thunder, you shall drink or fsht!" sal
n the nosest Of the party.
n ''Just as you please--drink snail not" sal
n purposely showing the but of Colt whic
kicks six times in rapid succession.
4 The party interposed and very easily qnelle
: the ass,.ilhnt. One offered me u cigar which
!. reluctantly refusing but glance from the W,
I I'll. H.. IL.