Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-12-18
4 TRIAL FOR PERJURY.

During the last session OF the criminal
court in L, in the province of S.,
trial for perjury excited unusual interest.
The accused was an accomplished young
girl, who for some years had been COVER
ness in wealthy family, and whose con-
duct had been above reproach.
She had been called as witness in an or
dinary civil suit, and had answered in the
nevative the usual question as to whether
she had ever been punished for any Grim
inal offense. BY accident it was aflerward
discovered that she, some time previously,
had been sentenced to prison for thirty
days for theft, and consequently the charge
of perjury was brought against her. Less
on account of the false oath than of the
then committed by beautiful and highly
cultured young lady, the court room was
filled TO repletion. was unavoidably him
dered from being present until the pro-
ceedings were nearly ended.
The counsel for the prisoner had risen to
| speak for his client. He was a dignified
old gentleman, and was usually somewhat
stiff, cold, and measured in his manner of
speaking; but to-day his voice trembled,
and it was evident that he was deeply
moved.
"Gentlemen Of the jury" he began, 81
have stood here many times to defend tho
accused, but never with so heavy heart as
to-day. While / have never been more
fully convinced OF the innocence of my
client, l have on the other hand, never
been more fully conscious of the difficulty,
the improbability, perhaps, of obtaining a
favorable verdict.
"The accused is an orphan. By the
death of her parents before she had scarce
ly reached womanhood, she was early COM
PEELED to seek her bread among strangers.
A liberal education enabled her to obtain
a situation as n governess. For two years
she was in the same house-always indus
trious, simple in her manners, and modest
in her pretensions-without there ever hav-
ing been shadow of doubt with regard to
her honesty when all at once she was at
cused of theft, and arrested. She has as
sured me that she was unjustly convicted
l have practced my profession for fifty
years. Long experience has made me in
sensible to tears and plausible stories. Here
gentlemen, there were no tears, Her words
MGlV but w lAiCJ NOhN lhNAhBs he
accused was not guilty Of the theft, and
consequently she could, with a clear con
science, answer the question with regard
to having been punished for any crime, as
she did, in the negative; for she had moi
been punished, but had been the victim o
great injustice.
Il am, of course, not unmindful Of tn
fact that my opinion can hardly be takel
into account. The defense is compelled t
admit that, If judged solely by the evidence
, the charge has been substantiated but
beg, gentlemen, that you will for mo
= ment imagine yourself in the place of th
accused. Again she had found a situa
tion nothing was known of her ever ha '
ing been imprisoned; for some years sh
!. had discharged the duties of her positlo
10 the entire satisfaction of her employers
D she had won the love and esteem OF larg
and cultured circle. Now I ask you, gen
tlemen, could she, even had 1t been tru'
make confession that would have SCI
her out friendless into the cold world
n Would 1t not have required more than hi
man strength to make suck a confession
=, Can you not understand, gentlemen, thI
u what she suffered when she was asked
- Have you ever been punished for an
criminal ofense?' was sufficient to re
q her, for the moment at least, Of reason9
VI "The unusualness of the case will excui
me, 1 trust, for calling your attention
the severe punishment that must folio
al your verdict of Guilty Shall a your
:" girl who on a single occasion-and, gentl
men, in this instance, even that has n
- been the case here-has committed fau
for which she has fully atoned By lor
years sofirreproachablS conduct, be broug
, ! together for time, long or short, with Il