The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-09-12
A Lawyers Adventure.

About four years ago, while was prac-
ticing law in Illinois, on pretty large cir
cult, l was called on one day in my Office
by very pretty woman, who, not without
tears, told me that her husband had been
arrested for horse stealing. She wished
to retain me for the defence. asked her
why she did not GO to Judge Ran
ex-senator OF the United States, whose
office was in town. told her that | was
young man at the bar, sc. She mourn
fully said that he had asked retaining fee
beyond her means; besides, he did not
want to touch the case, for her husband was
suspected Of belonging to an extensive
band of horse-thieves and counterfeiters
whose headquarters were then at Moore S
prairie.
asked her to tell me the whole truth
Of the matter, and if it was true that her
husband did belong to such band.
"Ah, sir" said she, Ga better man at
heart than my George never lived, but he
likes cards and drink, and l am afraid
they made him do what he never would
have done if he had not drank. l fear it
can be proved that he had the horse he
didn't steal it; another stole it and passed
it to him."
l didn't like the case. | knew there
was great dislike to the gang located
where she named, and feared to risk the
case before jury. She seemed to OBJ
serve my intention to refuse the case, and
burSted into tears.
never could see woman weep without
feeling like a weak fool myself. If it
hadn't been eyes frightened with "pearly
tears" I'd never been caught in the la>so
of matrimony. My would-be client was
pretty. The handkerchief that hid her
streaming eyes didn't hide her red lips :;
and her snowy bosom rose and fell like a
white gull in a gale of wind at sea. l
took the case, and she gave me the parti-
culars.
The gang, of which he was not men,
Der, had persuaded him to take the horse.
He knew it was stolen, and, like fool,
acknowledged it when arrested. Worse
still, he had trimmed the horses name and
tail so as to alter its appearance, and the
opposition could prove it.
The trial came on. l worked hard to
get jury Of ignorant men, who had more
fathom the depths of an argument or fol-
low luc ldUdl y utllluC uoLSo VI law, CouiO
feel for young fellow in bad fix and
weeping, pretty wife, nearly heart-broken
and quite distracted.
Knowing the use of "ehect," / told her
to dress in deep mourning and bring her
little cherub of a boy, only three years old,
into court, and sit as near to her husband
as the officers would let her. / tried the
game once in murder case, and weep
Ing wife and sister made jury render a
verdict against law, evidence, and the
Judges charge, and saved fellow that
ought to have been hung as high as Haman.
The prosecution opened very bitterly,
ana lnveighed against thieves and counter
letters, who had made the land terror TO
strangers and travellers, and who bad rob-
bed every farmer in the region of his finest
horses. 1t introduced witnesses, and it
proved all and more than feared it would.
Inc time came for me to rise for the de-
fence. Witnesses, had none. But l
had to make an effort, only hoping SO
to interest the jury as to secure
8 Recommendation to gubernatorIal Glenn
ency and light sentence.