The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1879-10-25
ACCIDENTALLY INNOCENT.

N~P"S MOy0zlf.
ACCIDENTALLY INNOCENT.
No lawyer likes going into court
with q thoroughly bad case -yet
how can be help It sometimes?
! should have more patience With
the question, DO you thinks 1t right
to defend q man whom you believe
to be guilty ?" we're It less frequent.
~ asked by people who spend
ok days Of tho week seeking to get
the upper hand OF their neighbors,
and the seventh to circumvent their
Maker. To the honest inquirer I
commend the answer DR.. johnson
once gave to Boswell: "Sir, the
lawyer Is not the Judge"
Was It my place when George Gil.
bert's little s0rrOW'wOrn wife, with
tears glistening In her eyes, besouRht
me to do what I could for her i'm.
prisOned husband, virtu0usly TO turn
my back, and leave her tired, strVg.
Cling heart to break or not, - It
mighty ! was neither . priest or q
Levite to find q ready excuse for pas.
sing by on the other eide Yet what
could I do2 George Gilbert had
been sent on q collecting tour, and
had gambled away money for hjs
employers. It Vas . plain case OF
embez2lement, and tho penalty Was
q term Of years In tho State prison.
I'm sure he never meant TO be
dishonest" pleaded the loyal little
woman ;'he was tempted by . crafty
and designing man, but instead Of
running away, - others would have
done, he came back and confessed
hts fault, Offering 70 let lis whole
salary 70 toward making up tho Loot
money till every cent 10 laid. Mr..
Meek, the junior partner. vas In.
clined to be merciiul, but Mr.. Man.
gle, tho head Of the house, who re-.
turned just then after Z years ab.
sence, insisted that the law should
take ito course.
] gave what poor cons olation !
could, for lawyers. like doctors, must
keep their patients courage up Of
timoo.
in the first place I'll geo Mangle
Il Meek" I said. "Mr. 4sngle may
DO brought to hear reason, After oil.
IL he e., 70 !, BE- only made to 'ee bio IN
The pale and dependent face
cheered up q little. Ny words seem.
cd to have inspired sort OF underlined
hope which ! wos far from feeling
myself.
Mt. Msngle received me with .
"YOung man. bis manner said,
don't waste time Ii appeals 70 cen.
timent: you won't II you'll look Ut
me-"
I took tho hint, and came ct once
TO business; repeated 0ilbert's o1er.
and put 1t - strongly - possible
that more was to be gained by To-
Diency than hardness all OF which
Nj. 1angle listened to With . con-
scientiOus sCrOWl.
II cannot be . party to compound
Ing Y felony" be answered, with .
0OIckUO 00OO0O61O0s
Nor have ! ssked you" replied.
not 4 little pettled. II have merely
mentioned . plan Of paying. back
your own, leaving It 70 your own
generosity and good judgment to
press the prosecution"
''Oh, ~ oil tho same." Wae the
contemptuous rejoinder; ''snybody
but . lawyer. with hls head full Of
Quips and Quibbles. could eco that.
Besides, there's something rather
cool In the proposal to retain your
friend In our employ, under preteoco
Of working out tue money he has
stolen, with the opportunity Of hlch'
ing twice - much money In the
meantime"
I felt my temper rising, and not
cariog TO imperil my clients interest
by On outright quarrel. I took Q has
~ leave.
Had ] been In the prisoners place
on the morning fixed Tor the trial !
could not have sscended the court
house stepo with more reluctance
than I do !; and when ! entered the
court. house and found Gilbert and
bic wife already there, ana noted the
hopeful look With which the latter
greeted my coming, my heart slck'
Vned st the thought OF the bitter d.
appointment coming.
"The People vsrsss Gilbert" called
out the Judge, after dispostng Of
some formal matters: