The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-11-10
-----------------
A TRIAL FOR PERJURY

-azSss=.s-z<Fs--.ssss--.-<Ss--.A
TRIAL FOR PERJURY.
During the last session Of the criminal
court in L, in the province Of $,
trial for perjury excited unusual inter-
est. The accused was an accomplished
young girl, who for some years had been
governess in a wealthy family, and
whose conduct had been above reproach.
She had been called as witness in an
ordinary civil suit, and had answered III
the negative the usual question as to
whether she had ever been punished for
any criminal ofiense. By accident it was
aftcrward discovered that she, some years
previously, had been sentenced to prison
for thirty days for theft, and conse.
quently the charge ofperury was brought
against her. Less on account Of the false
oath than of the theft committed by a
beautiful and highly cultured young lady,
the courtroom, on the day OF the trial,
was filled to repletion | was unavoid.
ably hindered from being present until
the proceedings were nearly ended.
The counsel for the prisoner had risen
to speak for his client. He was digni-
fed old gentleman, and was usually some
what stiff, cold, and measured in his
manner Of speaking but to day bis voice
tremblcd and it was evident that he was
leeply moved.
Gentlemen OF the jury, he began. d
have stood here many times 10 defend the
accused, but never before with SO heavy
A heart as to-day. While | have never
been more fully convinced Of :he limo
,encc Of my client, have, Oh the othel
hand, never been more fully concious o
the difficulty, of the improbability, per
haps, of obtaining favorable verdict.
The accused is an orphan. BY th'
leath of her parents before she hac
scarcely resched womauhood, she wal
early compelled to seek her bread among
strangers. \ liberal education enabled
her to obtain situation as govorness
| For two years ahe vas in the seine houst
always industrious, simple in her man
uers, and modest in her pretcntions-
without there ever having been the shadoV
Of doubt with regard to her honesty
when all at once she was accused Of theft
and arrested. She has assured me tha
she was uujus,lv convicted. have praC
ticed my profession for fifty years. Lon
experience has made me insenslble t
tears and plausible stories, Here, gentle
men. there were 10 tears, Her word
we're simple, TO me) convincing. III
accused was not guilty of the theft, an
consequently she could with clear cor
science, answer the question with regar
TO having been punished for any crim'
as she did, iu the negative for she ha
not been punished, but she had been tn
victim of great injustice.
i am, OF course not unmindiul ot th
fact that my opinion can hardly be take
into account. The defense is compe!le
to admi, that, if judged solely by the ev
dence, the charge has been snbstantiated
but beg, gentlemen, that you will for
moment imagine yourselves in the plaC
Of the accused, Again she had found
situation nothing was known other ha'
ing ever been imprisoned for some yea
she had discharged the duties of her p
sition to the entire satisfaction Of her eu
! ployers; she had won the esteem al
llovo of large and cultivated circl
: Now | ask you, gentlemen, could sh
even had it been true, make coniesslt
that would have sent her out iriendle
into the cold world? Would it not ha
: required more than human strength
make such confession? Can you n
understand, gentlemen, that what s.
u suffered when she was asked, Have y,
!. ever been punished for any criminal {
to fense . was sufficient to rob her, for I
- moment at least, Of reason
4 The unusualIess Of the case will exau
me, trust, for calling your attention
is is the severe punishment that must foll'
,e your verdict of Guilty Shall a you
h. girl who, on single occasion-aud. g
a. a, tlemen, ia this instance. even that IL
ab the case here-has committed n fault.
~ which she has fully atoned by long ye'
IL of irrcproachable conduct, bo brought
ds gether for time, long or short with
dregs of society? Never, gentlemen
ay never. Till now her soul has been pl
.. aud unsullied. Were she to serve tie
''t in the penitentiary, what would she
then3 Who will assume the responsi
y lity of sending her there
I, Il can say no more, gentlemen. ! LEI
~ the case in your hands, and | trust (
pray that you will give me verdict
Not guilty.
The old jurist's plea was listened
= with oresthess silence. II was sh'
- but on that account all the more effect
No cne seemed to be unmoycd. and m
of tho women present wept. CLAN
4' toward the accused she raised her {
with u look of gratitude, and reached
her hand to her aged counsel. WI
had | seen this pale but beautiful I
this wealth Of dark.brown hair, and Il
large honest eyes? 1t seemed to mc
though these very lips, at some time,
told me story Of hitter suffering
when and where? tried TO ava
& recollection, but my efforts were fruit
The judge began the usual charge
the jury. While it was evident that
felt deeply for the prisoner, he called
attention Of the jury to the facts OF
case, which had been clearly proved.
which alone, said he, should govern t
10 finding their verdict In speaking
the life Of the accused, he said
For three years after the otfense