Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-12-11

A Beau utiful Girps Escape from Fell
On's Cell.

I
Miss Anna Connett, pretty girl oi
Ia years, was tried for burglary, 10 the
Court of Sessions at Elizabeth last
week. She lives with her father and
mother in cottage'in Peace street, a
beautiful little maple-shaded avenue
in PIainfeld. Her father had proper
ty, and the family are highly respecta-
bic. Anna had always borne an un-
exceptional reputation. She was con-
stant attendant at the Second Presby-
terian church, and she stands high in
her class in the Sunday School Ad-
Joining the cottage Of her father is the
house of Ephraim and Elizabeth
Whitemore, couple who travel mod
est walk in life on the proceeds derived
from selling milk and keeping a few
boarders. They are of frugal disposi-
ton, and, unwilling to trust their saw
ings to banks aud brokers, they laid
them away in their home. Their small
change they laid up in little fancy
colored and covered basket on shelf
under the pantry window. The window
remained open. Fer a year or more
they missed small sums from the house,
and in the summer there were several
petty thefts from the fancy basket un-
der the window. They watched and
waited to discover the thieves, but in
vain, and at length they decided
to appoint Mr.. Darby night watchman
The pantry in which the money was
deposited is an extension of the house,
and as it adjoins the kitchen, the win
dow of the one is diagonally across
from that of the other 1t was thought
best to post Mr.. J. R. Darby under
the window at the kitchen. On the
sultry evening of August Is, between
8 and 8 clock, Mr. Darby slowed him
self away in his position, and looking
directly into the pantry, scarcely an
arms length away For some time the
stiffness was intense, but at length he
heard soft step on the gravel. A light
form cleaned out of the darkness, a
maidens foot was placed on the stone
abutment, and Mr.. Darby alleges, a
head and pair of shoulders went care
fully into the pantry window. Then,
Mr.. Darby says, he leaned noiselessly
through his own loophole, caught the
night visitor by the arm, and dragged
the form of Miss Anna Comet into
view, and she cried out in alarm, Oh,
[ wasn't going to get it." He main
tanned his hold, and shouted at the top
of his voice, Elizabeth. Ephraim,
come, bring Light Mrs. and Mr..
Whitemore and several others stream
ed into the kitchen and stood about
the prisoner and took a good look at
her to be sure that it was surely Miss
Anna Comet. Mrs. Whitemore then
went into the pantry and returned with
the fancy basket, and its contents were
examined. She said that she had
placed 80 cents in the basket as a de-
coy, and as a proof in case the thief
should be apprehended. The money
had not been touched, and Mrs. White
more chided her watchmau, saying:
Why didn't you let her take the
money before you caught her ?" Mr..
Darby was crest-fallen, and said moth
ing. Miss Comet explained her ac-
ton by saying that she had little pet
dog that she confined In the wood shed
at night; that she went out of the
house that evening to catch the terrier,
but it ran away from her, aud she fol-
lowed it to the pantry window, and
then she was seized by the strong
armed Darby. She denied that she had
crawled into the win,dow. or that she
knew where the money was kept. When
Anna went out she told her mother
she was going to shut up her pet, and
after she returned from the pantry
window she informed her that the dog
had been safely housed. This fact was
used at the trial.
The Grand Jury indicted her on
two counts: first, for breaking into
and entering house il the q ght time,
with intent to steal <cond, for
entering, without breSkin.s 2 into the
house. The trial was before Judge E.
w. Runyan and Justices Farnham
and RowDe. Mr.. j. Augustus Fay
was counsel for the State, and VIM. B.
Maxson, an old California lawyer, of
PlainGeld, appeared for the defense.
The Court room was packed. The
youth and beauty of the defendant,
the gravity of the alleged offence,
and the novelty of the case, com
bined to produce a powerful i'm
preston upon the spectators. The
counsel for the State In summing up
said that he should abandon the first
count, but should sue for conviction
on the second. He reviewed the testi
mony, which in many points vas al
most conclusive of guilt, and when he
concluded there was murmur of dis
appointment over the seeming impos-
sibilIty of acquittal.
Mr.. Maxson followed He spoke
of the promising life of his client in
the past. her spotless reputation, her
position, her associates. and of the i'm
possibility of so sudden a descent
through all the gradatons of crime
to the level of the midnight burglar
and robber. "Jurymen, said he, you
have arranged before you child just
bursting from the bud of infancy and
opening the blossom of youth, who fer
five years has been a constant attend
ant at church and at Sunday school,
and follower of Him who has said
Suffer little children to come unto me,
for such is the Kingdom of Heaven
Gentlemen of the jury, L leave the
child in your hands; it is for you to
say whether her presence will again
gladden. the hearts of her father and
mother, the music of her voice again
be heard in the song of the Sabbath
school, her joyous laugh be again
blended with that of her associates and
companions, or whether all the bright
possibilities Of her young life shall be
blasted in a moment by verdict that
shall consign her to felon's doom"
AS the lawyer concluded, with bowed
head and in earnest tones, the effect
was electrical. Half the iurymen was
in tears. The jury retired, but almost
instantly returned. Not guilty" ex-
claimed the foreman in a loud voice,
and the spectators burst into tumultu-
GUS applause. A throng, including at
torneys and the clerk, gathered around
the girl with congratulations. Among
them was MIR. Maxson, and as the
child was holding the hand of her de-
fender, the mother said: Why don t
you kiss him, Anna, he's done so well
for you" The child looked around at
the audience and though half abashed
By the multitude of faces, suddenly
turned and exclaimed, don't care. L
will" she threw her arms about the
lawyers neck and kissed him again and
again.-Ne.o York Sun.
Blood St0ck--Prices i'm the United
States and England.
| - Il