The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-03-31
HOW TO PROVE AN ALIBI.


One Sunday, about ten years ago, |
found myself at Carlisle. was censid.
erably acquainted there, and had been
there pretty often on business but my
being there at this time was the result
Of an accident merely. | had been
three hundred miles west of this, trying
IA vain to find clue to the wherea-
bouts of an Ascending defaulter; and
coming back TO take a fresh start.
found that food had submerged the
track for several miles east of Carlisle,
and that there would be no getting away
till Monday, at the least. So | made a
virtue of necessity, and, telegraphing
my detention and its cause 10 my fam
lily, | went up town.
After dinner at the hotel, | dropped
in at the office of the District Attorney,
with whom | was well acquainted. !
found him arranging the details of a
number of criminal cases which were 10
be tried at the court which began on
the following day.
=" Anything of Importance p | asked,
rather carelessly.
One at least" he replied. Joe
Slifer, a notorious scoundrel, is to be
tried for highway robbery. The victim
was dragged out of his buggy on a lonely
road, beaten insensible. and robbed of a
thousand dollars. He identifies Slifer
positively as one of the ruffians."
:" What's the defense ?"
can't imagine. don't think there
i any in reality"
Maybe he'll prove an alibi," jo-
cosely suggested. He shook his head
They'll hardly try that" he said
" The facts are too clear"
After some more unimportant con
versation with him, returned to the
hotel, where l spent the remainder OF
the day
The next day was Sunday. | awoke
quite early, and found the promise OF a
beautiful summer day so good that
dressed myself and sailed out for q
walk. Nobody was stirring yet about
the hotel, and the streets were perfectly
still. | walked around several squares
and returned to the hotel, meeting only
one person on the way.
That person was standing in the door
way of a basement saloon as | passed
l looked around casually, and saw him
standing there in his shirt sleeves. Hi.
hair was tumbled, and he was gaping, as
if he had Just awakened. | did not dis
cover he was doing anything in particu
lar there | thought afterward that il
was quite likely he had been left in c
drunken fit on the floor or on the bench
in the bar the night before, and that
waking up at this early hour, he hac
taken the wrong door in seeking hi:
lodgings, and had gone out of doors in
stead of going to bed. My look at him
was merely a side glance, but that wa,
enough to photograph him in my mind
1t was thin, bilious face, perfectly
10 one side, and a red scar over the lef
eve. | marked it instantly as the face
OF rascal.
How | could do that / can't explain
our business learns us to read faces al
most other men read books, and The
glance | had at that fellow told me tina
the man was a lawless fellow. His &C
tons confirmed the opinion. Sleepy a.
he looked and acted, no sooner had h,
saw me passing than he drove bach
through the door and slammed it to-
instantly understood him. - 4
scamp, on some lay or other, and don
want TO be seen" was my thought. AnC
| walked on with his photograph in my
mind, but ceased to think anything o
him or the circumstances before reach
cd the hotel.
The day passed, and bright and earl,
Monday morning took my satchel anC
went down to the depot But it was t
no purpose the Office was closed, anC
placard on the door informed the pub
lie that the road would not be oponeC
before Tuesday.
went back to the hotel, too mucl
out of sorts to enjoy my breakfast.
did not understand, till the day wa
some hours older, that | was needed
more here in Carlisle than anywher
else. just then.
| went from the breakfast int
the reading room, and after | had reaC
an hour | heard one man say TO an
other:
Let's go over to the courthouse
they're trying Joe Slifer." They wen
out; and, remembering my little tall
with the District Attorney, my curiosit.
was excited, and followed them.
When entered the courtroom, tn
victim of the robbery was on the stand
He was a plain, simple old man, an'
gave his evidence with apparent truth
fitness. He testified that he was stop
ped about sunset, some months before
while passing from Carlisle to his home
with one thousand dollars that he ha'
drawn that afternoon from the bank
1t was lonely spot, and there was no
house within half mile of it. III
was jogging leisurely along, when ligh
wagon drawn by two horses dashed M
beside his buggy, and three of the fou