Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1873-05-08
How Divorce Evidence is Obtained.

A Young man sometimes fond of
clark" but generally speaking honest,
and otherwise respectable, had amused
himself little too freely of late, and
found himself in the bar-room of we'll
known Cincinnati hotel rather late, and
rather tipsy. Here he was accosted by
ga dark-complexioned man With pierre
ing eyes," who asked him If his name
was not G.. That being, in fact, his
name, he assented, and the stranger
proceeded to say that he had heard OF
him, and thought he could put him in
the way of making some money. To this
usually agreeable proposition Mr.. c.
lent not unwilling ear, and invited
further disclosures. The dark man
thereupon, plunging in n,edia8 res, an
nounced that he had divorce case on
hand in Aurora, Ind, and that he want
ed some testimony. "Now, you" pro-
ceeding, with delicate appreciation,
care Just the man to give it." To this
c. artlessly objected that he had
never been in Aurora-or, indeed, in
the State Of Indiana-in all his life
and that he neither knew, nor had ever
heard Of, either of the parties to the
divorce case. To this the lawyer, who
called himself Shaeffer, made sweet re.
sponse that these facts were rather OF
advantage than otherwise to the purpose
in view.
He then began to look meditatiyely Mt
q new ten-dollar bill, which, soon after,
found its way into Mr.. G-'s waist
coast pocket. "The fact is," Shaeffer
presently said, with an outburst of af-
fectionate candor, we've got the whole
thing written out re,"-and he
brought forth long document written
on law cap-"and all you've got to do
is to fill in this blank with your name,
or any name you like, with your age,
and then sign your name at the bottom.
That's all. You'll have to 60 down
with me to Aurora day after tomorrow,
and-iust as a matter of form, you
know-go before notary there, be
sworn, and fill out the paper" ;" At this
Mr.. G. mildly demurred. He
thought there might be some risk about
the business. Perjury was no joke,
and ten dollars. "Just so," said
Mr.. Shaefer q" but then you'll get ten
more at the depot before we start, and
ten more as soon as you sign the paper.
Besides" he added, by way of clinch-
er, "you can drink all you please while
you're there, and we'll pay all expenses. "
This adroit shot soon brought about
capitulation. At least Mr.. Shaeffer
thought it did, which was principally
to the purpose. For the bibulous, but
plant G-thereupon agreed to meet
his tempter as arranged, to take train
on the Ohio and Mississippi Rail- o I'd
two days after at 6 o'clock, and to start
for Aurora. Thus, rubbing his hands
with satisfaction, as over good deed
+Rorthily accomplished, Mr.. Shaeffer re-
tired.
But "the best laid plans O. mice and
men gang aft aglee." The fertile mind
of Mr.. G. hit on a variation from the
contemplated scheme, which he forth
with carried into effect. This was moth
ing less than to take the affidavit-which
proved to be one of the most scoundrel,
iy exercises in lying over put together
by an unscrupulous attorney-stralgh'
to the Office of the Cincinnati Enquirer,
in the columns of which sheet it appear
ed in full on the day appointed for the
meeting with Shaeffer. The astonish
ment Of that gentleman over this neat
turn given to the situation may be easily
imagined; but whether his surprise was
increased, as it ought to have been, by
finding himself locked up to answer 6
charge of subornation of perjury, We
have been unable to ascertain. There
can be little doubt that the Infamous
kind of work, of which this is so pre-
cious sample, has been practicea II
Indiana to shameful extent OF late
and we shall be glad to be able to re
cord some instances of sharp and whole
some punishment.