Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-08-28


Of the prisoner having used money sine,
this was stolen2"
"No, sir
now called Nancy Luther back; ant
she began to tremble little, though hei
look was bold and defiant as ever.
Miss Luther" said /, why did you
not inform your mistress at once of wha
you had seen, without waiting for her to
ask about her money!" 0iai
Because could not at once make uI
my mind to expose the poor girl," she
answered promptly.
"You say you looked through the key
hole and saw her take the money! :
"Yes, sill" ....,
Where did she place the lamp wher
she did SOP"
son the bureau"
I'm your testimony you said she
stopped down when she picked it up
What do you mean by that2"
The girl hesitated, and finally said
she did not mean anything, only that
she picked up the lamp.
Very well, /" said L; show long have
You been with Mrs. Nasby2
mot quite year, sir"
How much does she pay you week?'
"A dollar and three-quarters."
Have you taken up any Of your pay
since you have been there?'
eyes, SIR" @
"How much pa
II don't know, sir.' 'A Hfot
"Why don't you lSnow2"
How should /? | have taken it at
different times, just as | wanted it, and
kept no account.
Then you have not laid up any
money since you have been theref"
No, sir, only what Mrs. Nasby may
owe me. ,.G
will you tell me if you belong to this
StateY . a"i0
Il do, sir. ~ t4e
In what town.
She hesitated, and for moment the
bold look forsook her Inext turned to
Mrs. Nasty: r. ,N'J
DO you ever take a receipt from your
girls when you pay themR"
Always" %
"Can you send and get one of them
for me- lpa 70 ~ e119
"She has told you the truth, sir, about
the payments, said Mrs. Nasby.
"Oh, don doubt it, / replied, "but
particular proof is the thing for the
courtroom. So. if you can, wish you
would procure the receipt"
She said she would willingly go, if the
court said so. The court did say so, and
she went. Her dwellisg was not far off,
and she soon returned and handed me
four receipts, which / took and ex-
amined. They were signed in strong
staggering hand, by the witness.
81 " Now, Nancy Luther" said turning
to the witness, and speaking in quick,
startling tone, at the same time looking
her sternly in the eye, please tell the
court and jury where you got the seventy
five dollars you sent in your letter to
your sister in Somers?" Saliasm
At this she started as though volcano
had burst at her feet. She turned pale
as death, and every limb shook violently.
| waited until the people could have an
opportunity to see her emotion, and then
| repeated the question. o
I" | never--sent-any, she gasped.
You did" ! thundered, for / was
excited.
81 didn't she family murmured,
grasping the railing by her side for sup
port. wa ia s aa
May it please your honor and gentle
men of the jury" | said, II came here
to defend man who was arrested for
robbing the mail; and in the course of
my preliminary examination / had ac-
cess to the letters which had been torn
open and robbed ofmoney. When | en-
tered upon the case and heard the name
of the witness pronounced, / went out
aud got this letter, which | now hold,
for / remembered having seen one bear
ing the signature of Nancy Luther. This
letter was taken from the mailbag, and
it contained seYenty-fve dollars; and by |
looking at the post-mark you will OBJ
serve that it was mailed the day after
the hundred dollars we're taken from Mrs.
Nasby's drawer, and is directed to Dor
cas- Luther, Somers, Montgomery county.
And you will observe that one hand
wrote the letter and signed the receipt,
and the jury will also so observe. And
now | will only add it is plain to see how
the hundred dollars were disposed Of
seventy-fve dollars we're sent off for safe
keeping, while the remaining twenty-five
dollars were placed in the prisoners
trunk, for the purpose of covering the
real criminal. l now leave my clients
case in your hands.
The case was given to the jury imme-
1iately following their examination Of
the letter. They had heard from the
witness own mouth that she had no
money of her own, and without leaving
their seats they returned a verdict Of
. Not Guilty. 'ia ia iHltH
| will not describe the scene that fol-
Owed, but if Nancy Luther had not been
arrested for theft she would
nave been obliged to seek protection of
he officers, or the excited people would
nave MANNED her at least, If they had
not done more. The next morning /
'eceived note, handsomely written, in
which | was told that the within was but
/ slight token of the gratitude due me
or my efforts in behalf of the poor, de-
enseless maiden. 1t was signed Seve-
al Citizens" and contained 800.
shortly afterward, the youth who first
,egged me to take up the case, called
lpon me with all the money he could
aise; but / refused his hard earnings,
howing him that | had already been
,aid. Before / left town | was guest
It his wedding-my fair client being the
fanny bride