Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1870-04-28
avon didIs I thundered. sor ! vas

"You did" I thundered, sor | was
excited now.
IL didn't" she finally muttered.
grasping the railing by her side for sup
port.
May it please your honor and the
gentlemen ofthe Jury" 1 said, as soon
as had looked the witness out of coun-
tenance, 81 came here to defend man
who was arrested for robbing the mail,
and in the course of my preliminary
examination / had access to the letters
which had been tore open and robbed
of money. When l entered upon this
case, and heard the name Of the wit
ness pronounced, l went out and got
this letter which l now hold. for ] re-
membered having seen one bearing the
signature of Nancy Luther. This let
ter was taken from the mailbag, and
it contained seventy-6Ye dollars, and
by looking at the post-mark you will
observe that it was mailed the day af-
ter the hundred dollars were taken
from Mrs. Naseby's drawer. 1 will
read 1t to you if you please"
The court nodded assent, and l read
the following, which was without date;
save that made by the post-mark up
on the outside. | give it verbatim:
''SIsTER DoRcUs: / send WI hear
seventy-6ve dollars which l want yu
to cept for me till | cum hum l cant
cope it cos i'm Altered it will git stole
don't speek wun word to a Twin sole
about this don't want nobody to no i've
got eny mOny, va wont now will yu. l
am fust rate here unly that guide for
nothin snipe of lis madworth is hear
yit-but I hop to git over now--yu no
| rote yu bout her. Civ my luv to all
inquirin frens this is frum yur sister
till deth. NANCY LUTHER.
''Now your honor" l said, as l gave
him the letter, and also the receipts,
''you will see that the letter is directed
to Dorcus Luther, Summers, Mont
gomery county. And you will OBJ
serve that but one hand wrote the let
ters and signed the receipts, and the
jury will also observe. And now l
will only add, it is plain to see how the
hundred dollars were disposed of.
Seventy-ive dollars were sent off for
safe keeping, while the remaining
twenty-five were placed in the prison.
er's trunk for the purpose of covering
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 i'm
following their examination
of the letter. They had heard from
the Witnesses own mouth that she had
no money of her own, and without leay-
imp their seats they returned the YER
dict of "Not guilty"
| will not describe the scene that
followed; but if Nancy Luther had not |
been Immediately arrested for theft,
she would have been obliged to seek
protection of the officers, or the excited
people would have manned her at
least, if they had not done more. The
next morning received a note, hand
somel Y written, in which l was told
hat the within was but slight token
IF the gratitude due me for the effort in
behalf of the poor, defenceless maiden.
It was signed by "Several Citizens"
md contained one hundred dollars.
Shortly afterward the youth who first
begged me to take up the case called
lpOn me with all the money he could
'aise, but l showed him that had al
'eady been paid, and refused his hard
earnings. Before left town I was
suest at his wedding-my fair client
he happy bride.