The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-08-08

T did; in common with oil those
who Keep their ears open, or who read
the papers" ~ i. VA
"Ihen why, SIR" may l,ask, did You
because, until came into court 10
XIII time, had Hot the least idea that
could be Of any Use in it. | knew no
more than that the defense was an dl,Li
But when L heard what his lordshiu
SAID as he was summing up, that night
came to me, and at once spoke ont.'
II need scarcely remind you,v said
the Judge to the counsel, "that IL was
not until you had made your speech,
and was proceeding to sum up, that
the facts came out"
"That is 80, my lord" replied tbe
counsel, as he felt he was sat upon
But, returning to the attack, he res1m.
ed, "Then yonr coming here into conrt
was purely accidental? Do Won really
wish us to believe that"
Il have no wish in the matter" was
the response, zone way or the other
! SIMPLY state fact. Will you be good
enough said the doctor, taking a pa
per from his pocket, "to hand that to
his lordship?' ''' ~
AND giving telegram to the usher
1t was handed to the judge.
"As this telegram, gentleman, has
been given to me, / will read it to you,
though L do not" his lordship remark.
ed, consider it necessary. It is dated
to-day, March b; and it is from Miss
Minnie Brown, Paddington Station.
ohc says 80 sorry, papa. Missed nv
train. Shal take the 2:45 and car. Oh.
So don't wait. With love.w
"Ihat is through train for our line.
my lor"-the Severn Valley--I came
on here to attend meeting. Had she
come as arranged by the ten train. |
should have met her at the station. And
we should have been at home by now
The delay seems providential." !"
"Just So" said the Judge. And the
telegram was handed to the iurv. and
passed on to the doctor.
But the counsel, determined to make
last struggle for it, returned to tbe
charge. - ~
"The prisoner was in yonr employ, I
presume. HE shod your borsesY''
mo, hc did not" was the reply. "I
wish he had, but he lived too far off. un-
fortunately"
himT '"'
am with you"
care you hunting man?v
Il hunt, rs every man should do who
can keep good horse and ride him.
"Then as this man." said the connse,
"was a runner with hounds, Won must
have met him frequently,
81 have seen him often, and | have
heard him, too"
And he has been of use to you, l
presume, on many occasions, in SHIFT
ing hurdles, and making gapsr
"GapsE cried the doctor, who was a
knowing good goer, 81 never wait for
gaps, and l fly the hurdles. ] always
take it straightl'
AS utter ran through the court at
the doctors answer, the foreman of the
said: '"Ns''
unless your lordship considers that
further evidence is necessary, we are
dict"
"And that
us Not Guilty, my lord"
AS the verdict was given. a loud
cheer that could not be suppressed rang
through the court; and his lordship
turning to the prisoner said:
"Ralph Perks, you are a free man.
and you leave this court without a
stain on your character. After the mn
expected evidence we have heard, and
which has so entirely corroborated
your own statement, it was impossible
Tor the jury to have come to any other
conclusion. We must, therefore, as
your name alone was mentioned, accept
the theory for the defence, that the
cause oil the mans death was an acci-
dent, and not murder. But for your
well-known persistence i'm poaching,
circumstantial evidence would have
been less strong against you. Let it be
warning to you, and at once rive il
up, or some day il may 90 hard with
you. DR.. Brown, but for your evil
dence, justice might have miscarried.
We have to thank you"
And as the clock inst then struck
four, the court broke up.
mot guilty, not gniltyl" was the
cry, as Ralph's many friends streamed
on to those outside. "Uurrah for
Brown, the doctor!" ''.Il Ut
At six, the doctor was atthe station.
and demonstration awaited him; for
Perks and his friends were there, wait
ing the arrival of the same train-the
through train from London, to take
them also TO their destination; and as
the train came up, and the porters bus
tied about during the ten minutes
stoppage, the cheering was incessant.
80, what noise, papa" said Min
ME brown. "Why, they are cheering
you What is it fors Whatever have
you done?"
"a good days work, my girl, was
his reply. 81 have proved the inno-
cence of that man there-RaIph Perks,
the poacher."