The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1880-12-25

However, time changed his mind, as II
usually doesand after while it was known
that two eminent lawyers were busy with
his cuse,nnd tolerably hopefully and so in due
course came the first Monday in March and
the Honorable tahes Armstrong TO hold
UoHtt.
The ttiai Is well remembered and still
talked Of. An immense CROWD was on the
village green in troht Of the ourt-house,
some arriving on horseback, some in vehicles
Of every imaginablele kind since the time
of Noah, and some on foot, after walking
many weary milej aid the judge having
mounted the bench and jury being fouhd,
amid wedged and brsathless multitude,
the dreadful business began.
Deliberately and awfully the case for the
State was developed. Tom Foster, pale and
i'll, leaned back in his char, watching the
proceedings, never moving or speaking ek-
cept when addressed III Whisper by his
counsel.
The first witness called 10 the stand was
VAu odm NhlSSheouj WIN. uistiuCtiy thu
clearly told his story of earryingthe mail up
the mountain on Christmas Eve; of being
stopped at Brandy Forks by the murdered
woman, who gave him dollaf, and tiote
to be taken to Foster and delivered to him
personally, with a particular csution that
Mrs. Foster should not be allowed to see it.,
or suspect It's existence.
al was GURUS" proceeded Whitehead
"She looked so queer and was so deep in
earnest, that my mind was troubled.
knowed she was not the best woman in the
world folks talked about her; and the end
was, tore the note open and read it. The
note appointed meeting for that highland
said if he failed to come he would be sorry
for it to the latest hour Of his life"
There was a general movement of surprise
at the latter part of this testimony, and even
the judge glanced toward the defense, ex-
pecting them to object to the admission of
the contents of the note at secondhand.
But on the contrary the note itself was pro-
duced by them and handed over for identi-
6cation, and fully recognized. The hour
named for the assignaton was between nine
and ten o'clock, and the place Otter's Cross
Roads, In the neighborhood of which Mrs
Williams body was afterward found.
Clement Scott, a darkey, was next called
and testified to having passed Tom Foster in
the defle leading to Plummer's store about
eight o'clock or the evening of the murder.
"Mr. Foster was ridh' at a gallop. De
snow was deep and hard. dom carry no
watch, but gin'rally kin tell de time.
tells it by the sun docrin' the day; don't
know how tells it at night"
Several witnesses showed that Foster was
not present at any time during the night at
the dance which took place at Plummer':
store. His wife was there for short period
but was seen to leave, followed by Joe Will.
ltams, who was supposed to have accompani-
ed her home.
The prisoner was visibly affected at thi.
point, and called for glass of water which
he drank with feverish gultl
The weather was sultry, as il sometime.
is in the South early in March, and the
judge ordered the windows to be raised, re-
marking upon the mephitic vapors of tn;
| toom.
The next witness was Mrs. Richard Doyle
Who took the stand in palpable distress, She
testified that Tom Foster had sat up will
her husband on Christmas Eye that hi
manher was about as usual, maybe q littl'
quiet she could never forget his kindness
to her husband, and appeared to-day agains
her will. Foster was incapable ofthe crime
he was charge with, as gentle creature al
ever breathed; and the poor lady cried dol
orouslj, wipibg her eyes on her calico apron
'Theh in grim way canie the question
"At what timO, as we'll as you remember
did the prisoner arrive at your house on th,
flight Of the murderg''
Mrs Doyle cried harder than ever, anC
would not answer until sharply spoken t.
by the judge, and then she ssid
Give minutes TO twelve o'clock,
How could she fix The hour so exactly
She boo-hooed hysterically for a while, an,
being pressed, answered that she was just il
the act ofwinding the clock when he rappe'
at the door.
II was now four o'clock, and here the cas-
rested for the day. Judge Armstrong mad
few remarks to the jury, among othe
things said that on the next day they would
! if necessary, have two sessions.
On the second day testimony was broGgh
J in to show the finding of the body about Al
hour before daylight on Christmas morning
4 boy had been the first to see it aud Civ
, the alarm he had got up early to look 70
his fathers horse that had thrown the ol
r man on the way back from Pummers dance
The doctor was next called, and in half
) dozen learned sentences described the natur
Of the wounds. Mrs. Williams had bee
r dead for sn hour, aud he could not be NOR
: exactj twelve hours, for all he could say I
/ the contrary it was a mere conjecture, sn
he declined to express an opinion positively
1t was a bitterly cold night and the corps
. was frozen hard.
He was cross examined very closely an
} sharply, and left the stand witha red fac
and very much hufIed.
And now came the defense.
) Intense curiosity was manifested as to th
line to be adopted, and when old Farquha
/ Randolph, with his white hair and aristo
cratic face got up, ant sdvaneed with hi
| gouty limp to the table, and leaning on hi
chalky knuckles. said, in bis resonant tones
+, ''Your Honor, and Gentlemen of the Jury,
in that vast thrOng there was not one VIII
drew breath.
The points were that the murder has
taken place at the Gross Roads between min
and ten O'Clock on Christmas Evej tha
: Mrs. Williams had been seen there abou
that time, but that Tom Foster had neve
) kept bis appointment with her. A maj
: had, indeed, been with her, but it was no
: be il was Joe Williams, her husband, OF
J the verge Of 6ciTiim tre1ieis and wild will
jealousy, and 30 on. But before the close O
the old lawyers first period, the crowd saw
! the weakness Of his case.
WuFaH -