Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1877-04-19
THE VALUE OF AN OATH.
BY JUDGE CLARK.

fend. The crime charged against
my client was one os shocking atroci-
ty, the murder of his own child.
The popular verdict had already con-
demned him, and there was little
doutt but that of the jury would go
the same way.
Arthur Berkley, the prisoner, had
married Elith Grange, a wealthy
heiress whose father had died, leay-
/. ing her his whole fertaEe, te the ex-
elusion of n prohigate son who had
been dislnherited and driven from
his home.
Mrs. Berkley died within a year
after marriage, leaving an infant a
few weeks old, a feeble little crea-
ture, requiring constant and assidu-
Gus care. Indeed, DR. Baldwin al
most took up his quarters i'll the
house, during the night there, that
lie might be on hand in case of need.
One of these nights, the doctor, as
he afterward stated in his evidence,
after retiring to bed, feeling sulicit-
Gus about his little charge, got Up
and stole softly to The nursery to see
that everything was right.
he found the door ajar and dim
. light burning within. AS he ad-
yanced, he distinctly saw Arthur
Berkly standing by the table, hold
ing to the child's mouth the bottle
from which it was accustomed to re-
ceiye food. At the sound of the
doctors footsteps, .he quickly put
down the bottle, and stealthily left
the apartment by side entrance.
Not a little surprised at these
movements, the doctor approached
and laid his hand upon the chfld's
face which he found in violent con-
vulsions, which WE'RE followed in
few seconds by the Stiffness of
death.
A pest nortem examination, and
analysis of the contents OF tho stonl-
ache placed beyond doubt that pru-
sic acid had been administered And
an examination of the bottle, found
where Berkley had left it, proved
that the milk in it contained a large
quantity of the same deadly poison.
On this evidence BerkleY was ar
rested and indicted for murder ; and
there was not dissenting voice as
to his guilt. An incentive to crime
was found in the fact that, as heir
to the child, he would inherit the
fortune which had descended to the
Latter through the death of its moth
er. No wonder deed so monstrous,
aetuated by motives SO mercenary
should excite the deepest indigna-
tion. Derkley's previous character
had been good. lie had always ap-
peared gentls and kind had been
devoted husband and during the
brief period Of its life, had shown the
rendered attachment to MS child.
In my conference with him, he
seemed overwhelmed with grief,
but sternuously denied all impata-
tions of guilt. asserting that he had
not gone to the nursery after retir-
ing that night, till called by the a.
larm of the child's death.
OF comse his statements, in the
face of proofs SO damaging, weighed
but littlJ. had no confidence in
them myself. Sill, it was nay pro-
fessional duty to see that mao on
trial for his life who had entrusted |
me with his cause, had every right |
the law accorded him. This duty
my conscience would be
clear wh ltever the result.
It would be tedious TO dwell on
the steps preceding the trial. L in
terposed no obstacles in its coming
on speedily. My aim was not to
thwart the ends of justice, but to
see it fairly meteI out.
DR.. Baldwin was the first and |
chief witness. He told his story
clearly and methodically, and it was
easy to see it carried conviction to
the jury. My rigid cross-examina-
tion only served to bring out his ev-
idence with more distinctness of de-
tail. | elected the fact, for instance |
that the chiid's nurse lay in the |
same room that she was asleep
wien the doctor entered, and that it
was TO her he first announced the
Guilds death. [ also examined fully
as to the prisoners acts at the same |
time the alarm was given, endeav-
oring to show that he came from
the direction Of his own chamber,
to have been just aroused
from sleep. But I made nothing of
this. the witness stating that his ag-
itation had distracted his attention |
from these points.
The doctor had only recently set
tied among US, but his conduct had !