The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-10-14
srAUNT0N, VIRGINIA. THURSDAY. OCTOBER H. 1876
THE TRIAL OF A MAIDEN.
A Beautiful Girls Escape from q Felon's
Cell.


| r s4ts. Fullf5 WI fltgs s34.,rf fl
A Beautiful Girls Escape from % Falon's
| Cell.
| From tho New York Sun. r.. 54ay4,.,
Miss Anna Connect, a pretty girl OF IA years,
was tried for burglary in the. Court of Special
Sessions at Elizabeth last week. She lives with
her father and mother in a cottage in Peace
street, q beautiful little maple-shaded avenue
in Plalnfield. Her father had property, and
the family are highly respectable. Anna had
always borne an unexceptional reputation
She was a constant attendant at the Second
| Presbyterian church. and she stands high in
her class in the Sunday School, Adjoining the
cottage of her father is the house Of Epliraim
and Elizabeth Whitemore, a couple who travel
a modest walk in life on the proceeds derived
from selling milk and keeping q lew boarders.
| They are Of frugal disposition, and. being un-
| willing to trust their savings to banks and bro
kers. they laid them away in their home. Their
small change they laid up IN a little fancy-col-
ored and covered basket on a shelf under the
pautry window The window remained open.
for a year or more they missed small sums from
the house, and in the summer there were sever
al petty thefts from the fancy basket under the
window. They watched and waited to discov-
cover the thieves, but in vain, and at length
they decided oappoint Mr.. Darby night watch
man. The pantry in which the money was
deposited is an extension of the house, and as
it adioins the kitchen. the window of the one is
diagonally across from that of the other. 1t
was thought best to post Mr.. j. r. Darby I'M
| der the window of the kitchen. On the sultry
evening Of August 10, between and o'clock,
Mr.. Darby slowed himself away in his position,
and looking directly into the pantry, scarcely
an arms length away. For some time the
stiffness was intense, but ut lslgth he heard a
soft step on the gravel. light fsrm cleaned
out of the darkness, a maiden foot was placed
on the stone abutment, and Mr.. Darby alleges,
Il head and pair of shoulders went carefully in
to the pantry window. Then, Mr.. Darby says,
he leaned noislessly through his own loophole,
caught the night visitor by the arm, and drag
ged the form Of Miss Anna Comet into view,
and she cried out in alarm, s'Oh, wasn't go
ing to get it," He maintained his hold, and
shouted at the top of his voice, elizabeth
| Ephram, come, bring light" Mrs. and Mir.
Whitemore and several others streamed into
the kitchen and stood about the prisoner and
took a good look at her to be sure that it was
surely Miss Anna Connect. Mrs. Whitemore
then went into the pantry and returned with
| the fancy basket, and its contents were exam
| ined. She said that sae had placed SO cents in
| the basket as decoy, and It's q proof i'll case
| the thief should be apprehended The money
had not been touched, and Mrs. Whtemore
| chided her Waterman, saying ''Why didn't
| you let her take the money before you caught
her?' Mr.. Darby was crest-fallen, and said
nothing. Miss Connect explained her action
| by saying that she had little pet dog that she
| confined iH the woedslled at night; that she
went out OF the house that evening to catch
| the terrier, but it ran away from her, and she
| followed it to the pantry window, and then she
| was seized by the strong-armed Darby She
| denied that she had crawled into the window,
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 re-
| turned from the pantry window she Informed
/ her thatthe 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 d house in
the night time, with intent to steal. and second
| fer entering, without breaking into the house
The trial was before Judge E. w. Runyou and
Justices Farnham and Rowne. Mr.. j. Angus
tus Fay was counsel for the State. and VIM. B.
MaNson, an old California lawyer, of Plain
field appeared for the defence. The Court
room was packed. The youth and beauty OF
| the defendant, the gravity OF the alleged OF
fence, allti the novelty of the case, combined to
produce powerful impression upon the spec
taters. The counsel for the State in summing
up, said that he should abandon the first count,
but should sue for conviction on the second
lie reviewed the testimony. which in many
| points was almost conclusive of guilt, and
when he concluded there was murmnr OF dis
appointment over the seeming imposibility Of
| acqulttal.
| Mr. Maxson followed IIc spoke of the
promising life of his client in the past, her
spotess reputation, her position, her assoca-
tions, and of the npossibility OF so sudden
| descent through all the graduations OF crime t.
the level of the midnight burglar and robber
s.Jurymen,n said he, ''you Lave arraigned be-
fore you u child just bursting from the bud Of
infancy and opening into the blossom Of youth
who for five years has been a constant attcn
| dant at church and at Sunday school, and &
follower of Him who has said Suffer little chill
dren to come unto me, for Of such is the King:
dom of Heaven Gentlemen OF the jury,
leave the child in your hands; it is for you tc
say whether her presence will again gladden.
| the hearts of her father and mother, Che music
1 OF her voice be again heard in the song OF the
Sabbath school, her joyous laugh be again blen
(etl with that Of her associates and companions
| or whether all the bright possibilities OF hel
/ young life shall! be blasted in u moment BY
Il verdict shat shall consign her to felon'S
| DOOM"
AS the LAWYER concluded, with bowed head
| and in earnest tones, the effect was electrical
| Half the jurymen was in tears The jury ret
/ red. but almost instant y Telullcel. -Soc gun
ty.', exclaimed the foreman in & loud voIce.ant
the spectators burst into tumultuoils applause
n throng, including attorneys and the clerk
gathered around the girl with congratulations
Among them was Mr.. Maxson, and as the cnit
was holding the hand OF her defender, the
mother said: '.Why don't you kiss him, Anna
he's done so we'll for yoil." The child looked
around ut the audience and though halfabashet
by the multitutle Of faces, suddenly turned ans
exclaimed, II don't care, WILL she threw
her arms about the lawyers heck aud hisse'
him again and again.
JUST AS WEIL.-rhe other day ragged
red-eyed man stopped Detroteron the street
and asked: ,
Say, mister, lend Teller DOLLAR vii
mo, sir - was the emphatic reply.
''Wliy won't yon?"
yDYN