The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-12-28
Circdmstantial Evidence.
BY SADDLE BAGGEs. n ID.

Henry Mayence is apunIic prosecutor dow
east and he works so encrg traIy and with
so much ability and vim thai some of the boys
good-naturcdl, call him the public perscculor.
Whenever he gets after criminal he gives it
to him hot and strong, and the accused is al.
most certain to he convicted
He once led case where he felt sure of a
verdict hut the witnesses had evidently been
tempered with and he lost the case, whereat he
was wroth and remarked to me blank it; that
fellow is as guilty rs blank and ought to have
gone to State prison, and would have sent
HIM there if those blank blankcJ witnesses had
not lied like the blank" He will use blanks
once in while when he ge., angry. Now"
SAID he, iii | had only had some good strong
circunislantial evidence that could not have
been cooked or bought, | would have had
that fellow sure. There is nothing like car.
cumstanial evidence If you want to win"
And yet" | remarked, that very kind Of
evidence you eytoI 50 highly often tells the
biggest kind Of lies and has placed many IL
good man IN false position If not in actual
jeopardy
II you can afford 10 rest for ten minutes
will give you case in point:
Way down in Texa, there lives gentleman,
Col Allen, who is II man of the strictcst integ-
rty, honored and respected by all who know
him. He is the very soul of honor, hates "a
liar as he does the devil, but will doevcrything
in his power for those whom he honors with
his friendship.
Tom Parsons of Boston became acquainted
with the Colonel, saw just what sort OF a man
he was, ana being very wealthy, he placed
large .uu Of money IN his hands telling him
to buy lands, take the deeds in his own name,
sell when he got ready, report to him once in
IA while, and when the III hi time came they
would divide up lands or money ~ the case
might be.
The Colonel did buy and sell largely for long
time and, rs they say down there, made big
money" by it.
A small party Of Bostonlans went to Texas
last winter, presented letters Of introduction
from Mr. Parsons to Col, Allen, who showed
them around and entertained them in splendid
style. They appreciated the courtesies shown
them and in recognition thereof got up pub.
lie dinner in The Colonel's honor at the best
hotel in the place.
At that time one of them, II Mr.. Smith, re-
marked Colonel, | rather like this big state
OF yours and want To own small slice of it.
1t is bound TO settle mp rapidly and | believe
there is no better place to invest in real estate
than right here. Pick me out ten or fifteen
hundred acres and draw on me when get home
FIR your money" We'll" SAID tn, Colonel,
Il know Just the thing fry you. Your friend
Parsons has twelve hund ed acres in Wharton
Co. that cost him three dollars. | will sell it
Ia you for three and half" "All right" said
Smith; make out your deed and will send
You the money as soon as get home Moth.
Iny more was then said ON the subject, but the
of the purchase to Col. Alters confidential
clerk, VINO said: "Ycs | know that tract Col
Alien bought 1t last monIn al forced sale for
sixty five cents per acre!"
The truth was thai tie Colonel had actually
bought II piece Of land la The same county at
the price named, subject To an incumhrance oil
u considerable amount; but it WAS another and
entirely different tract from The one he sold ,oI
smith
To say that Smith was as:onished would bel
4 very mud way of putting ii, and his fir,l
impulse was Ia 20 To Col. Allen and talk yer,
PLAIN English To hn, but on reflection con.
he did not intend To leave for several weeks.
Now Il so happened that The clerk AT Hous-
ton, whose duty ii WAS Ia report land transac-
tions To Mr.. Parsons, had neglected To advise
HIM of this purchase by the Colonel, and also