The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-06-23

child. He would suffer no one except
Madge to wait upon him, and her ordeal
of servitude told fearfully upon her
| health.
Meanwhile, the trial of Morris Morri-
son for the alleged murder of George
Hanson dragged its tardy length into a
so-called court of justice.
After the usual preliminaries, land
men who wear their lives away in the
arduous service of an ungrateful coun-
try are seldom in hurry about prelim-
inaries), a jury of twelve sovereign
people was impaneled, whom, but for
Mark Twain's inimitable take-off upon
another jury of twelve conservators of
law and life and destiny, which is yet
fresh in the minds of our readers, we
might occupy pages in describing each
and severally, and the prisoner was
placed inside the bar.
The prosecuting attorney seemed es-
pecially blood thirsty, so watchful was
he of the rights and immunities of a
sovereign people. The judge was au
urbane, slow-speaking gentleman,
phlegmatic and deliberate, but in all
things inclined to be just according to
the light that attorneys and witnesses
were able TO bestow.
The prisoner was pale and emaciated.
Long confinement had told fearfully
upon his constitution, and the coarse
food, ill-cooked and indigestible, that
had been regularly provided for him by
the eX-parson's sad-eyed wife, had added
little to his comfort.
'The prisoner will stand upT said
the learned judge.
The heavy manacles that clanked
about him made the task a difficult
one, but the prisoner stood mp.
morris Morrison, you stand in the
august presence of the judicial ermine,
charged with the gravest of all crimes,
the murder of one of your fellow be-
ings. You are of sound mind and OF
mature years. You are yourself cog
infant of your guilt or innocence. 1t is
the wish of the Court that you provide
yourself with counsel. Have you done
?"
"No, sir"
care you unable to procure counsel ?''
mo, sir"
"Then make your choice"
''Your Honor, have the pleasure tc
introduce myself"
'YOu are not lawyer, and you must
run no risks. 1 appoint Esquire Law.
maker as your attorney In the name o.
the commonwealth. OF course you un
: derstand that you are to pay for his
services in case you possess the funds
If not, the State will meet the expenses
for you must have fair trial"
'Indeed, your Honor, the State il
very kind, but do not wish the ser
vices of Mr.. Lawmaker. 1 prefer t.
plead my own case, uncounseled anC
r unfeed."
''Ihe Court regrets its inability t.
, grant your request, sir. Human life il
' too sacred to be thus entrusted to an ir
: regular proceeding. Esquire Law
. maker, take your seat beside the pris
! oner."
f The Esquire obeyed with an alacrity
| that was possibly suggested by prompt
D ings of humanity, and possibly by pro
! spective ducats. The opposing counse
e took seat upon the other side. Boil
y attorneys looked to be, and indeed were
played-out politicians (excuse the slang
of the opposing schools. One was
t thin, wiry, excitable and impotent look
a ing individual, with thin head, nearl,
e bald, upon which a few sickly hair
were struggling to exc out feeble ex
q istence, and the other was a broad
], thick-set sovereign, with protrudin
y stomach, and a round, chuckle head
surmounted by pate as sleek and des
II titute of hirsute covering as varuishe
s watermelon.
y The prisoner looked at both aud shud
II dered.
$ "What say you? Guilty or nc
> guilty ?" said the urbane judge.
i 81 should be guilty of self-murde
should L plead guilty." was the firm re
/ ply. "This, however, is the first time
l. have had opportunity to answer tn
e official question. I am not only nc
d guilty, but 1 know that the man {
n whose murder stand accused is aliv
l. and well-or, rather, that he was aliv
r and we'll at the time of my incarcers
er tion, as could long ago have prove
e. had my witnesses been considered Il
gally competent to testify to the truth.
s. "This is very irregular proceeding,
at said His Honor. "a prisoner is NJ
y. usually allowed to make voluntary a
n sertions. Be careful, lest you Grim
L nate yourself"
L The prisoner smiled.
"Now, answer only such question
le as are propounded. Do you plea
I'd guilty, or not guilty ?"
le "Not guilty"
le "Very we'll. The attorneys will no
ii call the witnesses, and proceed at ont
le with the trial"
at So saying, the urbane judge leane
IN back in his official chair, by some inel
a plicable misnomer dubbed bench, al
:" began to read the morning paper.