Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-12-24
THE JUDGES STORY.

II was when first began 70 practise, com
mcUrcd the judge. lighting q cigar. 1 was
admitted and opened an office i'll the village
now ctfy-Of C in the Spring of 1871
had but little business. and the case YOU
nave mentioned proved the KEY II my fu-
tIIre success. / was sitting in my Office, try
ing 10 keep comfortable the clock already
POINTING 20 050. when the dOer Openei and
The keeper of the county Jail entered.
NehaVe guest at our house who is quite
anxious to see you, and requested me To
bring Won mp to him if you had not retired"
gladly put ON my coat to accompany the
1allOr. for needed every cent / could earn
Just then, and announced myself ready to
start IL was not far TO the Jail, and we soon
arrived there After unlocking the usual
number OF iron doors, the jailoT admitted me
10 the prisoners cell, and remarked that
when was ready TO go he would come and
let me out. The huge iron door closed with
eiang. the bolt was sprung, and | was
alone with my would be client.
As j had supposed. as soon as the Tailor
was out of hearing the prisoner came for
war;. lie was young, gentlemauly APP
age. Extending his hand to me he said:
II am glad 10 see you, Mr.. YOU are in
deed kInd To come to me at this uutimel-
hour. but wanted To talk 10 some one. ana
feel that Won will take an interest in my
case: have been arrested for the murder OF
MI Richards, the president of the Farmers
bank OF X. and for the robbery of the
tauCe?"
Iassure,l him that would do all in my
power for him. If he desired 10 retain me. Hs
suddenly interrupted me by saying:
Il beg your pardon, sir, / do wish to re-
tam you 10 defend the in my trial; and a trial
must Of course take place." saying which he
handed Inc five solid double eagles.
~ have heard but few of the circumstances
OF The tragedy he continued, las il occur
red this very evening. and fear that there
are some things that Will appear to be against
me, but trust that you will bring me ouc
al right. Do all you can, sir, employ moro
innocent"
/ assured him that had no doubt but we
W0nl0 clear him nd add aI
Tel me what you know OF the case. and
Inc circumstances that you think appear
against YOU
well, had Quarrel with Mr. Richards
last evening, but IL did 10 last long. Will
tell you the whole story, sir. / am a clerk
In the Farmers bank of 4, of which Mr.
Richards was president. L have been en-
ployed there nearly five years, and think
nave attended TO my duties 10 the entire
satisfaction OF all the officers of the bank,
and nave been liked very much by them all,
particularly by the president. who has in
Nited me TO his house many times. Now.
MT. Rlcnard>. You must understand. has
daughter several years younger than an. a
iady with whom have not only become in
timately acquainted. but for whom L have
conc eived a strong attachment. Her fithe
discovered that / was Deeply in love with
TIARA Rtchards, and saw, l presume. that
shc " as not wholly Indifferent TO me. Last
Sunday dined az their house. by invitation
OF Mr.. Richards, and during the evening /
told Clara the state Of my feelings, and was
overJOyel TO learn that she reciprOcated nv
love. We agreed that should ask her IA
Iher'S consent To- our marriage as soon az i
should ia1,, ne agle 10 support wife. You see
That i right" said; lin fact, il l. all i'm
Iortant that you should tell me all"
Last evening / called on Mr.. Richards
and boldly asked his concent to our engage
ment- be was very angry, said was an
1mpudeHt fellow. declared l should never
again speak TO Clara, and in short he in
suited me. accusing me of taking advantage
OF his Kindness 10 ingrat ate myselfinto the
heart of his only child. Finally, too, got
angry. har N w
said: only know did not threaten him.
AT the close OF our conversation he left the
room, and went dlrect ly to my room and to
bed. The morning W Mt as usual TO the
bank, and as soon as Mr.. Richards came
down he took me into mis- private office, and
SAID 10 me tnat most men would discharge
clerk from their employ under similar cir
cumstances, but as l was honest, capable
and faithful, he would keep me, on condition
that / would forget nv preSumptuous fancy.
why said he. CLARA has more for pin
money than your salary And then, after
ceived al his house, he told me TO return to
my desk. Nothing unusual occurred during
received an usually large cash deposit. AS I
was on the point of leaving the bank Mr.
Richards called me and said:
Here l. a package containing nine thou
sand dollars wish you to take to Mr.. far
tin, cashier OF the city bank ofC-. You can
explain to him about our vaults not being
any TOO secure. and apologize for coming at
such an unreasonable hour, and ask him as a
personal favor To me To receive the funds on
deposit rake a receipt and return in the
morning; you can take the six o'clock train
this evening"
- had little money on deposit at our
bank and having payment due on my life
insurance in C. drew one hundred dol
lars and thought i would pay that before
reUrned- TOOK the package con tanning the
nii.e Thousand dollars. and after receiving
same money for my expenses. i started. ]
aTTIN ell 81 Iuy destination about half past
O'Clock aud went directly TO Mr.. Martin s
mouse, out found that he had gone up town.
and later was going 20 the theater. Where
upon sought the principal hotel, thinking |
might see him there, but was disappointed
mere and there. i walkei around where
thought would be most L kelly To meet him,
until about half-paSt .. ami then returned 10
to which went. / sat down and read the
evening paper until about halfpast 10, when
j started for Mr.. Martins house. A. i came
down stairs and opened the door, burly fell
low touched me on the shoulder, and whisp-
cred:
i arrest you for the ROBBERY of the Farm
erS oank OF X, and the murder of Mr.
Richards"
HE then placed the handouts on me and
escorted me here and now i have told you
All know OF my case, and so help me God il
Is the truth. MY name Is Howard Burtoni
nave TO parents"
This is the subs lance OF what Howard Bur-
ton related 10 me, on that Christmas eve, in
his cell in the jail at C. 1 had not inter.
rupted hmm during his recital, but had liss
ened attentively TO every word. was much
interested IN the young man, who was about
my own age, and who felt was innocent Of
charged. remained with him until long
after midnight, and then. charging him %
converse with no one on the subject OF the
murder. left him. j knew nothing of the
circumstances of the murder yet, but the
next day being Christmas, ] thought would
20 to k and learn what could. as knew
my client would not be examined that day
out was sure he would next. Justice was
then much swifter than now. On my arri-
val at X went directly to the bank, and
found two or three detectives there. and some
OF the officers ofthe bank. Nothing had been
moved except the body OF the murdered man
He was found lying on the floor with his
Skun crushed and his throat cut from ear %
ear. Some Of the drawers had been rined
but aside from this there was nothing to In
dicate robbery. There was missing from the
safe nine thousand dollars. but the locks az
fOrled no evidence of having been tempered
with. found that belief in Burton's guilt
was quite general. 1 proceeded 10 look
around 10 see some tndfcat ion Of violence
being used, but the locks OF the safes and
vaults were in perfect order. There was a
window IL the presidents Office that looked