The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1867-03-21
A Case of COnscience---AL Lawyer
With Conscientious ScrIpleS.


With Conscientious Scruples.
From the Danville IN. " Express
We have lately heard a capita
story connected with a prominen
lawyer of our village, who has dis
tinguished himself in the defenc
of criminals, as well as in connec
ton with other trials, having fre
quently, through his skill, aide,
the most hardened criminals to es
cape from justice. Some time ago
while our friend twas attending
court in an adjoining county, he
was applied to by singular Speci
men of humanity, charged with
grand larceny, to defend him. The
lawyer very naturally inquired
what crime he was accused Of
The party accused replied tina,
somebody had been mean enough
to charge him with stealing one
hundred and fifty dollars in bank
notes, and had got him indicted.
"Are you guilty!" asked the
lawyer. -le.-s E-
%That's none of your business"
replied the accused. "They say
that makes no difference with you,
whether man is guilty or not, you
will contrive to dig him out in
some way" So don't talk any more
about the guilt till you hear what
the jury says"
"Well, what about the pay9" said
the lawyer.
"You just hold on till the trial is
over; give l. (the complainant)
h-ll on the examination, and
that other fellow he has got to back
him up, and you'll have no trouble
about the pay"
The trial commenced and proved
to be a somewhat protracted and
exciting one. The District Attor-
ney proved that the money in
question was composed of two $50
bills on a certain bank, and the re-
mainder all in $40 bills, all of
which were wrapped up in a piece
of silk. The jury, after listening
to the counsel in the case, and re-
ceiving the charge of the Judge,
retired, and soon returned with a
verdict of not guilty. The &C
cused, who was greatly elated with
the result of the trial and the eff.
fort of his council, invited the lat
ter into one of the vacant jury
rooms. AS soon as they were
alone, he slapped his counsel on
the shoulder, and exclaimed:
"Free as water, amt |? What's
the use of trying a man tor steal
ing when you're around9 Now |
suppose you want pay ?"
eyes; have you got any thing to
pay with ?" said the lawyer.
"Lend me your knife and we'll
see about that"
The lawyer, slightly startled at
such proposition, rather reluct-
antly complied. The accused i'm
mediately commenced ripping and
cutting away at the waistband of
his pantaloons, and soon produced
the roll of bills for the stealing of
which he had just been tried, wrap
ped up in the identical piece of oil
silk described by the witnesses for
the prosecution, and throwing it
down on the table before the as
tonished lawyer, exclaimed -
"There, take your pay out of that;
l guess there is enough to pay you
tolerably we'll"
L" Why, you villain! you stole
that money after all" said the law
yer. "Do you expect l can take
any of that money? =,
"Stole that money! Why, what
are you talking about? Didn't
them twelve men up stairs there
just say | didn't steal? What's the
use of your trying to raise a ques,
ton of conscience after twelve re-
spectacle men have given their
opinion on the subject9 Take your
pay out of that and ask no ques-
tions. Don't be modest in taking
| got it easy enough, and you've
worked hard enough for it."
Our informant did not state how
much the lawyer took, but we pre-
sumo the chap didn't have much
change left after our friend had
satisfied his conscience" in the
premises.