The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1878-02-01

l read faces as most men read books and the
glance that l had at the face told me thai
the man was lawless fellow. His action.
confirmed the opinion. Sleepy as he look
cd and acted, no sooner did he see mt
passing than he dove back through the
door, and slammed it to.
| instantly understood him. "a scaml
IN some LAY or other, and don't want tc
De seen," was my thought. And l walk
eel on with his photograph in my mind
but ceased to think anything of him or o.
the circumstances before | reached the no.
tel.
The day passed, and bright and early
Monday morning l took my satchel and
went down to the depot. But it was to
10 purpose; the Office was closed, and a
placard on the wall informed the public
hat the road would not be opened before
tuesday.
went back to the hotel, too much out
OF sorts to enjoy my breakfast. did not
understand, until the day was some hours
| older, that was needed more here at Car
| isle than anywhere else, just then.
l went from the break iast-table into the
reading, room, and after had read an hour,
| heard one man say to another:
Lets go over to the court house: they're
| trying Joe Sliier." They went out; and
remembering my little talk with the dis.
trlct attorney, my curiosity was excited,
| and followed them.
When entered the court room, the VIC
tim of the robbery was on the stand. He
was plain, simple old man, and gave his
evidence with apparent truthfulness. He
testified that he was stopped about sunset,
| some months before, while passing from
| Carlisle to his home with one thousand
dollars that he had drawn that afternoon
| from the bank. 1t was lonely spot, and
there were no houses within half mile Of
it,, lie was jogging leisurely along, wher
| a light wagon, drawn by two horses, dash
| ed up beside the buggy, and three of the
| four men in it jumped out, while the fourth
held the reins. They were all Masked
One of them seized his horse by the bit
and stopped him, the second snatched the
lines from his hands, and the third climbed
half into the buggy, and taking him by
the arms, demanded his money. He said
that he instantly shouted as loud as he
could when the rutfian dealt him a savage
blow with a slung- shot which knocked
him senseless and when he came to him
self again, both robbers and money were
gone.
He recognized only one of the four-the
man that struck him. AS he drew back to
give the blow his mask dropped and re-
vcaled the face of Joe Sllfer, the prisoner
at the bar. He knew 1.-THE was perfectly
positive of it--and all the ingenuity of the
cross examination could not weaken or
shake his evidence upon this important
point.
No other witness was called for the
prosecution; none seemed necessary. The
prisoners lawyer got up and made a
plausible statement to the jury that the
complainant was mistaken about recogniz-
ing Joe Sitter on the occasion referred to;
that Slifer was not there at all, but that he
was at Norcott, fifty miles north of Carlisle,
at the very hour of that robbery, and that
he should prove it by at least two good
witnesses. He sat down and called out,
Caleb Wye" and everybody leaned for
ward expectanty.
The witness came forward with slow,
limping gait, leaning on cane. He was
apparently a man Of middle age, and was
dressed in a suit of sober black, with a
white choker about his neck. His hair
was silver gray; and as he mounted the
stand and leaning on his cane, turned his
eyes placidly to the prisoners counsel, he
presented an appearance that would attract
attention and respect anywhere.
| saw him; and though did not betray
any surprise, know my heart gave a ire
mendous thump. For saw the bilious,
thin face, the crooked nose and the Scared
forehead of the dodger whom had seen
twenty-four hours before in the doorway
ofthe saloon. With this difference, how.
ever, the hair of that man was almost
black, while this mans was silver gray.
| edged my chair quietly up beside that
of the district attorney, and while the man
was testifying managed to whisper in the
officers ear without attracting the attention
of the witness. The latter testified that he
was a dealer in ready-made clothing at
Norcott, and one of the firm of Wye &
Peasants. That on the day testified to as
the day of the robbery both he and his
partner were at their store at Norcott, and
there was an unusual call for goods. Joe
Sliier was then in town, they knew him
well, and had often employed him to help
in the store.
| On this particular day they sent for him;
he came out Immediately; and he remain
ed at the store, waiting on customers, from
O'Clock to 8, without leaving it. Mr..
Peasants was in court and he would testify
to the same facts.
The first question of the district attorney
made the fellow start and shiver.
Are you in disguise, sir ?"
"Wh-what z" stammered the man.
"Have YOU a silver-gray wig over your
dark hair e.
The man looked amazed and then fright.
ened, but said nothing; and before he
could recover his self possession the district
attorney had stepped forward and removed
the wig, revealing smoothly brushed head
of dark brown hair.
"What does this mean ?" he asked
sternly.
"Only fancy" was the sulky answer
g. I've worn this wig for years"
Have you, indeed2 Did you wear it al
day Yesterday ?"
"Yes, sir" was the confident response
"Where p
"At Norcott to be sure"
"All day
"Certainly. l was there the whole day.
"When did you arrive here at Carlisle p
"At 7.20 this morning."
The District Attorney gave me tri
umphant wink and when he stated to thu
court that he desired this witness to be de
tanned till the close of the trial, the Sheriff
was directed to take charge of him. Mr.
Caleb Wye came down from the stand with
his wig in his hand, and took seat by thu
sheriff, looking decidedly more bilious
than had yet seen him appear.
Mr.. Peasants was now loudly called FOL
by the defense but no one came forward
The unexpected reception that the last wit
ness had met probably chilled the ardor o
his confederate, aud he wisely chose tt
keep himself in the background. Thi'
then was all of the defense; and my evi