The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-02-02
A LAWYERS ADVENTURE.

ONCE in my life, and once only, | al
lowed myself to be put up as a candi-
date for an office; and | had the fortune
to be elected to fill the office of District
Attorney-an office of little honor, of
little pay, but plenty of hard work. I
had accepted the place at the earnest
solicitation of the Judges of our Su
preme Court, because they feared. if I
did not man would get it who was in
no way qualified to perform the duties
thereto appertaining; and, having al
lowed myself to be placed in charge of
the legal interests of our section of New
Hampshire, | resolved to perform the
duties without fear wH"rntd near me- ont
had been in Office about six months,
and | had succeeded in convincing few,
at least, of our good people that they
had a prosecuting officer who could not
be easily corrupted, when man named
Mario Cropt was arrested for horse
stealing, and one of whose first moves
after being arrested was to send for
me. went and found him in jail, one
of the most sinister-looking fellows |
had ever SEEN He was, as / afterward
learned, half-breed, his mother hav-
inc been Mohawk Indian and his
father Virginia slave driver. Mario
was born in wigwam somewhere
among the wilds of the Alleghenies,
and had been brought up to manhood
by men and women who lived by plum
der and begging.
At the age of one-and-twenty, or
Whereabouts, he left the tribe, and
since then, now some ten years, he
had lived by his wits, in the exercise OF
which he had stolen horses and sheep
and other four-legged things. In short,
he was villain of the very deepest dye
so born, bred and matured. He was
rather short of stature, but compact,
broad-shouldered, heavy-limbed and
muscular, presenting a figure of brute
strength such as is not often seen. His
face bore very strongly the MohawE
stamp, the Indian standing out above
all else; but there was certain cast o
broad, grasping shrewdness which be
traved the admixture of white blood.
Mario Cropt, when he knew me TO
the officer who was to present his cast
to the Grand Jury and who was also t.
appear against him in court, assumed
very confidential manner, and com
menced by intimating that he woul'
give me a chance to "make prett
good thing" If would use my int1u
ence in his favor, he was sure he shout
pet clear. This was the first time h
had ever been arrested in that part c
the country and he did not exactly III
derstand our method of doing bushes;
But of one thing he could assure me,
7 would like a thousand dollars he coul
get it for me.
| asked him what he meant.
'Bahr' said he, poking his finger
into my breast-and the end of that sill
ole forefnger came with force equ;
to a blow of fist from some men
"don't 90 for to be backish wi me.
know and we both know money
money, and you may as well have it
anybody. Let it off easy and I'll say
thousand dollars. I've got it, miste
and can fetch it in no time, too. Nov
what dye sayP Is it a go?''
/ looked at the rascal, and he mu
have discovered from that single CLAN
that he had approached the wrong ma
for his countenance fell, and tier
light flashed in his eye.
=" You'd better do itr' he whispere
But l only sought to make him
derstand that l would sooner sell 4
life than my honor; and without wa
ING to listen to his talk left him.
Within a week from that time Gro
was brought before the Grand jury, a
as he came into the jury-room he fou
an opportunity to speak privately w
me.
"Look here, mister" he whisper,
"rll make it $4,000. You'd bet
think on't!'
l made motion to push him aw