The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-04-01

him or the circumstances before | reached
the hotel
The day passed, and bright and early
Monday morning l took my satchel and
went down to the depot. Bat it was TO
no purpose the Office was closed and
placard on the wall informed the public
that the road would not be opened before
Tuesday.
went .aaek to the hotel, too much out
of sorts to enjoy my breakfast did not
understand, till the day was some hours
older, that | was needed more here at
Carlisle than anywhere else, just then.
[ went from the breakfast table into
The reading room, and after l bad read an
hour / heard one man say 10 another:
Lets go over to the court house; they
are trying Joe Slffer." They went out
and remembering my little talk with the
district attorney, my curiosity was excl
ted, and followed them
When | entered the court room the
victim of the robbery was on the stand.
He was u plain, simple old man, and
gave his evidence with apparent truthful
ness. lie testified that he was stopped
about sunset, some months before, while
passing from Carlisle TO his home with
81 900 that he had drawn that afternoon
from the bank. 1t WAS a lonely spot,
and there WAS not a house within half a
mile of it. He was jogging eisurely along,
when light wagon drawn dy two horses
dashed up beside his buggy, and three of
the four men ia it jumped out, while the
hpi En al
masked Oue of them seized his horse
by the bit and stopped him, the second
snatched the lines from his hands, and the
third climbing half into the buggy, and
taking him by the arms, demanded his
money. lie said that he instantly shout
ed as loud as he could when the rufian
dealt him a savage blow with a sling shot,
which knocked him senseless and when
he came to himself again both robbers and
money were gone.
He recognized only one OF the four
the man that struck him. As he drew
back to give the blow his mask dropped,
and revealed the face Of Joe Siter, the
prisoner at the bar. He knew it, he was
positive of it, and all the ingenuity of the
cross examination could not weaken or
shake his evidence on this important
point.
No other witness was called for the
prosecutions none seemed necessary. -
The prisoners lawyer got up and made
plausible statement TO the jury that the
complainant was mistaken about recog-
nizing Joe SIifer on the occasion referred
to ; that Sljfer was not there at all. but
that he was at NorcUtt, fifty miles north
OF Carlisle, at the very hour of that rob
berry, ard that he should prove it by at
least two witnesses. He sat down and
called ont Caleb Wye" and every body
leaned forward expectanily.
The witness came forward with slow,
limping gate, leaning or cane. lie was
apparently a man of middle age, and
dressed in a suit of sober black, with I.
While choker about his neck. His hair
was silver grey, and he mounted the
stand, and leaning on his cane, turned
pIacidIy to the prisoners counsel, he pre-
sented an appearance which would com
mand attention and respect anywhere.
saw him and thought did not betray
any surprise. l know that my heart
gave Il tremendous thump. For | saw
the billions, thin face, the crooked nose,
and the SCARED forehead of The dodger
whom had seen twenty-four hours be-
fore in the doorway of the saloon. With
this difference, however, the hair Of that
man was almost black while this mans
was silver grey.
edged my chair quietly up beside that
of the district attorney. and while the
man was testifying | managed 10 whisper
in the others ear, without attracting the
attention of the witness
The latter testified that he was dealer
in ready~made clothing at Norcott, and
one of the firm of Wye &a Pleasants.-
That on the day testified to as the robbery,
store at Norcott, and there WAS an unusu-
al call for goods. Joe Slfer was then in
town +; they knew him well. and had
often employed him 10 help them in the
store. On this particular day they sent
for him be came Immediately; ; and he
remained at the store, waiting on custom
ers, from two O'clock till eight without
once leaving it. Mr.. peasants was in
court, and he could testify to the same
facts.
The first question of the district attor>
ney made the fellow start and shiver.
''Are you in disguise, sir?''
"Wh-what," stammered the man.
"Have you a silver grey wig over your
dark halr -
The man looked amazed and then fright
ened, but said nothing and before he
could recover his self-possession, the dis
trict attorney had stepped forward and
removed the wig revealing smoothly
brushed head of dark brown hair.
"What does this mean 2" he asked
sternly.
'Only fancy - was the surly answer.
I've worn that wig for years"