Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-11-07

was well known in town, and had
always been supposed to be honest.
The anxiety was intense to know
whether he would really be proved q
criminal.
The case seemed to be going
against the accused, for one or two
other people had been summoned
who testified that, "to the best OF
their knowledge and belief" they
had seen this man in or about the
bank at one o'clock on the day
when the check was passed.
The prisoner sat in the court
room, pale, bu, with a certain fear
less firmness on his features that
scarcely seemed like guilt.
All the known evidence was 10,
and to the last, save the statements
of q few friends as to his previous
good character, nothing in his be-
half beyond his own unsupported
word had been brought forward.
The prosecuting attorney arose
and formally recounted the strong
points in the case, dwelling es-
pecially on the failure of the pris-
oner to prove an dli6i, 1. e., to show
to the entire satisfaction of the
court that he was elsewhere than
at the bank at the moment of the
crime, when suddenly, to the I'M
speakable establishment of all pre-
sent, queer voice from distant
part of the room exclaimed:
"But can tell where he was"
Everybody turned to look at the
speaker, who was none other than
our friend Dan. He stood with his
mouth wide open, clutching his
cap with one hand and with the
other nervously poking his tousled
hair. Everybody laughed.
"Silence p roared the crier, with
fierce tone, and then assuming
that the boy intended to make
sport, he ordered him to sit down.
"No," drawled Dan, ~ guess !
won't.
OF course that set the crowd
into still louder uproar Of
laughter. The crier made an
attempt to get at the boy.
"Stop !" cried the Judge, in a
voice that was heard in all parts Of
the room.
AS soon as silence was obtained,
he turned toward Dan, who was
still standing.
"Young man, do You know any
thing about this caseI
"Yes, sir" replied Dan, slowly /;
81 know"
81 don't want to know that yet"
interrupted the Judge. "Come
this way" The shrewd magistrate
knew the youngster well enough to
surmise that he would neither care
nor dare to be fooling at such a
time.
Dan, all stained and spotted
picked his way out of the crowd
and walked forward to the bench
A curious spectacle he was, with
his uncouth form and dress, and hi'
, mass of white hair.
The Judge leaned forward ant
J said something to him in very low
D tone, and then Dan whispered
, bnck to the Judge. Soon TIT
g people saw the Judge smile ant
!, nod his head.
g "Ah," said they one to another
sour Dan has turned up something
n new. It's just like him."
e Their surmise was turned to Ger
tainty when the Judge announced
e "This young man will produce i'm
o portant evidence for the defence"
}, Dan make his way ont of tn
y court room, and disappeared. 1
o ten minutes he came back agai
e breathless. He was never know
to run before.
n In his hand he held paper O
IS large as the covers of geograph
d This he handed to the judge. TIL
70 Judge looked ut it curiously
e then at the prisoner. In momer
$, he said:
N "Clerk administer the oath I
st this boy"
Dan was sworn.
d can not repeat his testimon
d here, but be sure it was droll
Dr. worded and disjointed enough.
A made everybody laugh, even viii
r it interested them profoundly
o. The substance of it was that @
10 the day when the forged chez
d was passed he was taking pbot'
IN graphs between the hours Of II \
4. and 2p NJ Among other pictur,