The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-04-02
LITTLE ADELE COBB.

the summingup began. That was to in
troduce the testimony of the ten-year-old
daughter of the prisoner as to the cup
and saucer marked pet" which Bishop
claims he gave her, and which she denies
ever receiving from him. They were
afraid to put on little Adela as a witness
that the prisoners friends had tempered
with her. 1t remained to bring out her
testimony against her mother in
sonne other way, because it
would never do to put a wit
ness on the stand whom they light wish
to impeach. There was hurried con-
sultation between the Prosecutor and his
assistant, and then the latter called out
In loud voice, SHERIFF, bring in the lit
tie girl"
There was stir smong the spectators
As tall man in blue coat and brass
buttons appeared walking by the side of
pretty little form, all lace and feathers
and dimpled confusion. Everybody made
way for them, and they walked slowly
past the little figure in black which bent
forward for an instant, ana then drew
back quickly until they reached the wit
ness-chair. The little girl climbed into
it, and then turned to the audience pref
ty face remarkably like that of the prison
er, though with more Of the rosebud than
the rose in her cheeks. She was bonnie
wee thing, with her long golden hair
pushed back over her face by a black
circular comb, golden ear-drops and a
perched on top Of her ringlets. The tiny
- oh l, -,
with just the least suspicion of iauntiness,
and her white small hands, Nesting
against the play thing Of mug, showed
the glitter of q ring-her mothers gift.
"What is your name, little one?" asked
the Public Prosecutor, with a gentle
ness which contasted strongly with the
war of words which had preceded it.
For moment the witness Looked
about in childish confusion. Then she
murmured, ''Adele w. Cobb"
White-haired and venerable Mr.. Wait
could bear it no longer. Il object to this,
your Honor" he. cried, bringing his hand
down upoa the bar with an emphasis
that made it rebound. Then he rose,
and, with something of the air IF the lion
turned to his learned antagonist and
shook his hand warningly at him. 81
object" he cried, in rim ging voice, ITO
this unparalleled scene. 1 object, your
Honors, to bringing this little, tender
thing, innocent Of the nature of an oath,
or of the knowledge Of anything evil,
into this court to testify against her mo-
Their, who is On trial for her life! 1t is
bad enough to have these lawyers for the
State putting her questions. as they al
NIT having done, without bringing her
here to bear forced testimony that may
help hang the mother that bore her and
nursed her. I ask your Honors to put a
stop to this thing here, and at the outset"
Prosecutor Waller rose with flushed
face, in which regret at the part he was
acting struggled with sense of duty.
He spoke in a low voice, every syllable
of which was audible in the further cor
ner of the crowded courtroom. He said:
"Your honors, admit that it is most
painful sight, and nothing but the con-
viction that [ am doing my sworn duty
to the State and to the community would
justify me in what am about to do"
"The prisoner ct the bar is her moth
err" broke in Mr.. Wait, impatisntly.
''Aye, gentlemen" continued the Pub
lie Prosecutor, ''the prisoner at the bar,
as my learned friend truly says, is her
mother; but not the murdered man her
father? For myself, if you or I were to
be murdered by poison, 1 trust that we
would leave children-yes, even little
ones like this-with honor and affection
enough to aid in pointing out the MUIR
deress, even though she were her own
motherp'
Kind hearted Judge Culver drew his
chair to the edge Of the platform, and
looked upon the witness.
"Adele," he said, in a kind, cheering
voice, do you know what it is to tell a
falsehood?'
eyes, answered the little girl, with a
nod; cts wicked"
'Who will punish you if you tell a
falsehood?"
'God will" she replied.
"And who told you that God would
punish you2'
"Mamma did, sir"
The Judge wiped his glasses. and both
he and the Chief-Jussice looked verv
grave. There we're few dry eyes in the
vicinity of the little witness, and even
the stern jurymen looked melted for q
moment. A tear stood in the prisoners
eye, and then rolled slowly down her pale
face. She raised her veil and brushed it
away with her handkerchief.
eve admit this testimony" said Chief
Justice Park, finally, "to impeach the
testimony of the grandmother, and not
for any other purpose. Mrs. Waterman
having testified that she did not tell the
little girl a certain thing, it is allowable
to impeach her testimony by asking the
little girl what she did tell her."
With constant promptings from the
Public Prosecutor, Adele told her story.
She said that the lawyers came to her
one day and asked her if she had seen
anything of the cup. She admitted see
ing the cup marked "Pet" in the cup
board of her mothers house. When she
next saw her grandmother, the latter said
to her, "Your mother had no such cup as
that. There is d cup marked something
else that belonged to me-" During this
painful recital, Mrs. Waterman, who was
being virtually accused of perjury by
her grandchild, looked pale as desth.
Her face was firmly set, and she did not
lower it, although the gaze of the crowd
ed COurt-rOem was concentrated ,,po,n