Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1872-01-10

hardly within the rule of Courts, at
this late stage of the business, pray
the Court to allow me, on this trem-
bling, frightened boys behalf, to ask
the last witness III this case, few
brief questions"
"Certainly, there is no objection,
SIR"
And had the loser of the money
upon the stand again directly.
"You say you missed your pock-
et-book after leaving the store?" l in
quircd.
eyes sir-with seventy dollars in
it."
"You are sure you didn't take it
out, when you went?"
"No, sir, l did not.
"You might have done so!"
"But didn't, SIR"
"You couldn't have dropped it,
then, in your hurry as you went:"
81 didn't have it, 1 left it on the
counter, near where this boy was ell
gagged in putting up goods. And l
have no question that he took it,"
"You came back-how soon"
rWitl,in I've Dsinutos."
"And the boy was gomez"
eyes, sir, and the pocket-book, +"
added the witness, sharply.
"That's all, sir" remarked.
And the gentleman sat down.
l had not made much progress as
vet, but next asked the lad to stand
up: spoke to him kindly and said:
"Johnny, why did you hurry out
that night as soon as the gentleman
left, as he said you did:"
"Causc mother was dreadful sick" !"
he said tcarfully, land ME and my
little brother Neddy was alrt she had
to take care of her. And l went
straight home and didn't know moth
in about no money of that mans, no
way"
"You went home becanse your
mother was sick. How long was she
i'll.
GA good while, SIR"
"But why didn't you return to
your work? Why were you absent
three days just them"
"Mothcr's dead SIR" said the boy
sadly.
"When did she die?"
"That night. And staid away
cause had to go to her funeral with
Ncddy and he is all alone now, SIR"
"And you know nothing of this
lost pocket-book"
81 never have seen it in all my life,
sir; and l don't steal nothing,--ncvcr;
for my poor mother alters said must
be honest, ef | starved; and God
would know it efnobody else found
it ont: and at wicked boys go to the
bad place, sir. never stole nothin'
sir-nevcrv'
And here the little boy burst into
tears, and could say no more.
"Whilc I-confess it-I was wiping
my own eyes briefly, observed that
his Honor was actually busily en-
gagged in the same occupation. But
the court was close, and it was a
warm day. Perhaps it was prespira.
ton.
"Your Honor,"I said after mo.
mcnt's silence aud clearing of the
throat, "the prosecution have surely
no case for conviction. don't be.
lievc this boy knows any more of this
lost money than you or 1 do. 1t has
not been found in his possession; he
has had no chance to spend it; nobody
testifies that he ever had it, save OH
suspicion; and cannot think your
Honor will imprison this child who
has so touchingly though innoceutly
explained himself upon what is, at the
most, circumstantial evidence.
"He says he is parentlcss, and
think your Honor will not doubt this
assertion. The dead mother whose
form he has just seen laid under the
sod, was plainly good, true woman:
and Johnny has not been taught al
home to be thief, evidently. crave
the Ieniency of the Court in this lads
behalf, and ask that johnny may be
discharged since there is no direct
evidence here against him."
"You can go, JENNY" said the
Clerk, with unusual pleasantness for
him, n moment afterwards, rs the
Judge said something briefly to his
subordinate, and Immediately ad.
jourmed the court, to tho evident sat.
isfaction of the poor boys accuser.
shook the little fellows hand
took him out of the court room with
me, told him who I was, at his owl
! request, aud saw him running down
street as fast NJ his little legs could
carry him, soon after this reversed
decision of his Honor. =
Tho result ofmy voluntary effort il
this little affair was very gratifying