Daily Republican., 1878-12-20
ACCIDENTALLY INNOCENT.

No lawyer likes going into court
with a thoroughly bad case, yet how
can h. help |, sometimesf
| should have more patience with
the question, "Do you ever think 1t
right TO defend man whom you believe
to be guilty." were II less frequently
put by people who spend six davs OF
the week in seeking to get the upper
hand of their n-ighbors, and tn. sew.
-nth in trying To circamveRt their
Maker. To the honest inquirer, ! com
mend the answer Dr. johnson one gave
to Boswell, "Sir, the lawyer is not the
Judge"
Was it my place, when George Gil.
bert's little care worn wife came with
tears glistening in her eyes, to eseecll
me to do what | could for her imp-is-
oned hus band, virtually to turn my
back, and leave her tired, troubled
heart to break or not as it might be' |
was neither priest nor Levitr to
find ready excuse for passing by on
anv other side. Yet what could dor
GEORGE Gilbert had been sent on a col
Letting tour and had gambled money
away received for his employers. 1t
was plain case of embezzlement and
the penalty was a term Of years in the
States prison
II am sure he never meant to be dis
honest" pleaded tn" loyal little wo
man; she was tempted by crafty and
A hnt tuutnal of, "a
away. as Others would have done, he
came back and confessed his fault, OF
f-ring TO let his whole salary 60 toward
making up the lost money till every
cent was paid. Mr. Meek, the junior
partner, was willing to be merciful, but
Mr. Mangle, the head of the house Who
returned Just then after years alb
sence, insisted that the law should take
its course
gave her what consolation | could,
for lawyers, like doctors, must keep
their patients courage up at times.
ain the first place, IN see M-ssrs.
Mangle u Meek" said, "Mr. Manglr
may be brought to hear reason, after
all--if he can only be made to s-e his
interest in it,"
The pale, Respondent face cheer-d
up little. My words seemed to have
inspired a sort Of undefir-d hope that
| was far from feeling myself.
Mr.. Mangle received me with stony
politeness.
"Young man" his mat n"r said,
don't waste your time in appeals to
sentiment; you won't If yon'lt just look
at me-"
took the hint and came at once to
business, repeated Gilbert's offer. and
put it as strongly as possible, that
more was to br gained by leuiency
than harShness-all of which Mr.. Man
gl, listened to with conscientious
scowl.
81 cannot be party to compoundin"
a felony" he answered with solemn
intonatl0n.
"Nor have asked you,' replied,
not little nettl"d. 81 have merely
mentioned plan of paying back your
own, leaving it to your generosity to
press or not to press his prosecution" !"
"Oh! it's all the same " was the
contrlnptuous reioiner, "any body but
a lawyer, with his head full OF quibs
and outlets, could see that Besides,
there is something rather cool in the
proposal to retain your friend III our
employ, under the pretcnse Of work
ing ont he money he has stolen, with
the opportunity of tilching twice d,
much in the meantime"
felt my temper rising and not car
ing to imprril my clients interests by
an outright quarrel, | took a hasty
leave.
Had been in the prisoners place on
the morning fixed for the trial, | could
hardly have assembled the court house
steps with more reluctance than did
And when | entered the court room
and found Gilbert and his wife already
there and noted the hopeful look with
which the latter greeted my coming, my
heart sickened at the hought OF the
bitter disappointment coming.
"The People vs.. Gilbert" called out
the Judge, after disposlng of some for
NAL matters.
A Jury was immr diately impan"led, !
and the case opened by the District AT
torney.
Mr.. Meek was the first witness. The
nervous, hesitating manner in which |
he gave his evidence would have great.
~ damaged its effect, had it not evi
ientIy arisen from disposition to do
the prisoner as little hurt as possible.
But no sottening could break the terri
Bile force Of facts he was compelled to
relate
In his partners absence, he had
George Gilbert as a clerk;
had found him competent and trust
worthy, had sent him on trip to make
COLLECTIONS; on his return he had ac
knowledged that, after receiving CON
siderable sum, he was induced by a
respectable looking gentleman, with
whom he had casually fallen in, to join
A social game Of cards. At tirst they
played for amusement, then for money,
and after losing oil his own, in the
hope of retrieving his loss; with the
fatal infatuation which attends the fist
infection of tn" drradml voice whose
md is swift destruction, he had hazard
ed and lost the last dollar of money he
had in trust for his employers.
Mr.. Meek's voice ALTERED as he closed
his narrative. He was going to volun
trer something about the prisoners pre-
vions good character, when II disapprov-
ing glance from Mr.. Mangle brought him
TO halt
Just then the prisoner chanced to
turn his head and catching glimpse of
the senior partner, who had just en-