Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1870-09-08

ed me Tour receipts, winch l TOOK anu eX-
amined They were signed in a strange,
staggering hand by the witness
Now Nancy Luther I said turning to
the witness, and speaking in quick,
startling tone, at the time looking her
sternly in the eye, please tell the jury and.
me where you got the seVenty-dve dol
lars you sent in your letter to your sister
at Summers.
The witness stated as though volca-
no bursted at her feet then turn ed pale
as death, and every limb shook iolentiy.
| waited until the people could have an
opportunity to see her emotions, and then
[ repeated the question:
'I-never--sert any.
You did, / Numbered, foryI was ex-
cited now. sI-Ididn't,' she 6pally mt.
tered, grasping the railing by her side for
support.
s-Nay it please your honor and the
gentlemen of the Jury / said, as soon as
I had looked the witness out Of ooun~
tenance. I carfse Hrre <, defend a--1laan
who was arrested for robbing the mail.
and in the course of my preliminary ex-
animation [ had access to the letters
which had been torn open and robbed of
money When | entered upon this case,
and heard the name Of the witness pro-
nouncad, went out and got this letter
which | hold. for I had remembered hav-
ing seen one bearing tho signature of
Nancy Luther. This letter was taken
from the mail bag, and it contained
seventy-fve dollars, and by looking at
the post mark. you will observed that
it was mailed the day after the hundred
dollars were taken from Mrs. Naseby's
drawer l will read it to you if you
please
The court nodded assent, and I read
the following, which was without date,
save that made by the post mark upon the
outside. l give it ver1attne
SISTER DoREUs Il send yu here
seventy-fye dollars which want yu to
kepe for me till i cum hum i cant kepe
it cos i'm Altered it will stole don't speek
wun word to living sole about this don't
want nobody to no i've got eny inony, yu
wont will yu I am fust rate here unly that
guide for nothin snipe OF lis madworth is
here yit-but hop to git over now--Yu
no rote Wv bout her, given mi luv to all
inquiria frens this is from your sister till
deth.
NANCY LUTHER.
Now your honor [ said, as gave
him the letter, and also the receipts, you
will see that the letter is directed to
Dorcus Luther, Summers, Montgomery
county And you will observe that but
one hand wrote the letters and signed
the receipts, and the jury will also
observe. And now [ will only add,
it is plain to see how the hundred dollars
were disposed Of
'Seventy-fve dollars was sent off for
safe keeping, while the remaining twenty
five were placed in the prisoners trunk
for the purpose of covering the real
criminal. OF course the tone of the
letter you must judge. l now leave my
clients case in your hands,
The case was given to the jury i'm
mcdiately following thir examination of
the letter They had heard from the
witnesses own mouth that she had no
money of her own, and without leaving
their seats they returned the verdict of
Not Guilty
l will not describe the scene that fol-
lowed but if Nancy Luther had not
been imme Lately arrested for theft, she
would have been obliged to have sought
protection of the officers, or the the
excited people would have manned her at
least, if they had not done more Thu
next morning l received note, hand
somely written, in which / was told that
the within was but a slight token of the
gratitude due me for Efforts in behalf of
the poor. defenseless maiden. 1t was
signed by Several Citizens and contain
cd one hundred dollars. Shortly after
ward the youth who first begged me to
take up the ease, called upon me, with
all the money be could raise, but | show
ed him that I had already been paid, and
refused bis bard earnings. Before | left
town was a guest at the wedding-my
fair client the happy bride.