Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1870-12-15

your girls Wheh you pay them!
"Always.'
"Can you send and get one of them
for me?"
'She has told you the truth, sir, about
the payments" said Mrs. Naseby,
80, I don't doubt it," replied, "but
particular proof is the thing for the court
room. So, ifyou can, wish you would
procure the receipt
She said she would willingly 90. il
the Court sail so, and she went. Her
dwelling was not far off, and she soon
returned and handed me four receipts,
which took and examined. They were
signed in Il strange, staggering hand, by
the witness.
"Now, Nancy Luther | said, turning
to the witness, and speaking in q quick
startling tone, at the same time looking
her sternly in the eye, "please tell the
Court, and jury, and me, where you
got the seYenty-live dollars you sent in
your letter to your sister in Somcrs?"
At this she started as though a vol.
cano had burst at her feet She turned
pale as death. and every limb shook vo-
Iently. | waited until the people could
have an opportunity to see her emotion,
and then | repeated the question:
'l--never-s sent-any," she gNsped.
"You did," | thuudcrcd, for ] was
excited now.
I-I didn't she family muttered,
graspiug the railing by her side for sup
port.
MAY it please your Honor, and gen
tlemcn of the jury | said, as soon as I
looked the witness out Of countenance.
81 came here tc defend u man who was
arrested for robbing the mail, and in the
course Of my preliminary examinations |
had access to the letters which had been
torn open anu robbed of money. When
| entered upon this case, and heard the
name of this witness pronounced, went
out and got this letter which now hold,
ior | remembered having seen one bear
ing the name of Nancy Luther. This
letter was taken from the mail bag, and
it contained seyenty-ive dollars, and by
looking at the post-mark you will observe
that it was mailed the day after the
hundred dollars were taken from Mrs.
Naseby'S drawer. | will read it to you,
if you please"
The court nodded assent, and [ read
the following, which was without date,
save that made by the postmaster upon
the outside. 1 give it verbatim:
"SIsTER DoRCUs:
| cend yu hear seventy,fyc dolers
which | want yn to cepe for me- til Icum
hum | cant cepe it cos i'm feerd it will
git stole don't spack wun wurl to q livcu
sole bout this | dout want nobedee to no
i've got eny mony, yu wont now vii yu.
| am fust rate only that guide for nothin
snipe of liv madworth is hear yet-but
hope tn git over her now. you no i
rote to yu bout her. Civ my luv to all
inquirin frens, this is froum yur sister
til deth. Nancy LuTuER.'
"Now, your Honor, | said, as | gave
him the letter, and also the receipts,
"you will see that the letter is directed
70 Dorcas Luther, Somers, Montgomery
county. And you wilfobscryc that one
hand wrote that letter and signed the
receipt, and the jury will also observe.
And now | will only add, it is plain to
see how the hundred dollars were dis
posed of. Seventy five dollars were sent
off for safe keeping, while the remaining
twenty-five dollars were placed in the
prisoners trunk, for the purpose of cover
ing the real criminal. OF the tone of
parts of the letter, you must judge. |
now leave my clients case in your
hands. "
The case was given to the jury imme-
diately following the examination OF the
letter. They had heard from the wit
ncss's own mouth that she had no money
of her own, and without leaving their
seats they returned verdict Of "Not
guilty"
| will not describe the scene that fol-
lowed but, it Nancy Luther had not
been Immediately arrested for theft, she
would have been obliged to seek protec-
tion of the officers, o. the excited people
would have MANNED her at least, if they
had not done more.
The next morning | received note
handsomely written, in which 1 was
told that the within was but a slight
token Of the gratitude due me for my
efforts in behalf of the poor, defencelesS
maiden. 1t was signed Several Citi,
zeus," and contained one hundred dol
lars. Shortly afterwards the youth. who
first begged me TO take up the case,
called upon me with all the money he
could raise but showed him that l
had already been paid, and refused his
hard earnings.
Before | left town was a guest # his
wedding-my fair client being the happy
bride.
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