Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1873-10-16

often surround an innocent per
son, caused them to regard hin
as felon, who only waited
trial to be sent to felon'
doom. Presently loud RAJ
announced the approach Of tn
Judge, the usual proclamation
was made, and the court wa
ready for business.
Sheriff." said the district at
torney, "is George Ames il
court ?"
"He is" was the reply.
"I now move the trial o.
George Ames, indicted for bur,
glary in the first degree" said
the attorney for the people.
"Has the prisoner counsel :?
asked the judge.
Have you counsel, Ames !?
asked the district attorney,
turning to the young man.
{" No, sir; [ expected Mr.
Aiken to defend me, but he re-
fuses" "
" Why ?' asked the judge.
Because-because [ have no
money to pay him"
Then, as you have no means
to employ counsel, the court will
see that you have some oae to de-
fend you"
Judge Vanderpool then asked a
respectfully appearing lawyer pres.
ent if be would undertake the de-
tense of Ames, but the attorney
declined. He then applied to
another, who also declined; ; final
ly there was no lawyer present
who was willing to appear as
counsel for the accused.
Gentlemen" said the judge,
81 do not desire to compel any
of you to defend this man. He
must have counsel, and"
Just at this moment a small.
sized, sharp featured, shrewd-ap-
pearing lawyer entered the bar
There was kind of avoirdu.
pois manner about him; his eyes
were black, round, piercing and
projecting, giving him the sly and
cautions appearance of rat. His
eyebrows appeared like a pair Of
nicely balanced scales ; he raised
and lowered them as if weighing
the amount of money which the
client happened to have with him.
They seemed to say, "Ah. yes,
he's got money, his case is good,
he must be taken care of, or,
"Oh, he has only-ah, let me
see," balancing his scale.like eye
brows, "Oh, yes, | see now, he's
only a little, a very little-the
man amounts to just nothing at.
all, and he has a shocking bad
case" He was well known to the
bar forty years ago. He
possessed some ability as lawyer.
His chief characteristics, however,
were acquisltiveness, sharpness,
and a perfect familiarity with the
old system of special pleading, the
of which he used
with the subtlety and craft of an
card player. He was
we'll skilled in controversy, and
a cOpiouS. rapid and ve-
hement flow of language. The
badinage OF his fellow members of
the bar were often directed against
him, but his irnpudence and con-
,eit rendered him invulnerable to
such attacks.
"Mr. X" said the judge, ad-
dressing this individual, "the
court desires you to undertake
the defense of George Ames, the
prisoner at the bar"
Z" All, yes, your honor can al
ways command my poor services
n that way, but | have seen the
prisoner before, aud | think, in
view of his circumstances-his /
neans-that is his ability to pay
Il mean the nature of his great
,ffence-and think him guilty.
hat is, l think perhaps he had /
,etter plead guilty and have done
With it."
A sob of deep, heart.broken an
,uish resounded through the court
Dom. 1t was f-om the mother,
Who heard in those words the
lnell OF her son : doom.
Barker, who had been entirely
IbSorbed in this scene, could con 4
rol himself no longer. lie arose
md said to the court: "lf your
lonor pleases, l will undertake /
he defense of that yoang man.
The tone of his voice and the quiet
lightly of his manner attracted
he attention OF all present.
The court il unacquainted
With YOU, sir, and we desire that
he prisoner should be ably de-
ended" said The judge, in a tone
hat clearly indicated his surprise
III ,olr honor please, | sad |