Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-06-04

These last words he spoke hesitatinply..
I hut I was glad TO know that he was
/ about to unburden his soul Of whatever
[secret it contained. y.
So We sat down to- the table. was
lust pouring out the tea when there came
\ a loud and unexpected rap ut me door.
j 81 opened it and found Nj. Heating, the
Il constable. He lived NOT far 81, and had,
been friend Of my husband. ss
"G0od evening M. Keating," ! sald.
sGood evening, madam, = De replied; !.
ADDE'S jamie Riley live here3'' SIS, Isl.
"And don't you know he lives herean
I answered. 81: : 81. 81.
"Is he at h0me3'
tsSupposing he is, what then7'
81 must see him. ! have an order for
his arrest s.. d : &. q
"What do you mean BY thatY' asked,
anRrily, sssurely your joking, MI. Keat-
ingl You wouldn't take Jamie to Jail.
you know he never did an evil deed. g
cts q sad duty answered the con-
stable, "but arrest him I must, if he's
in the house" .s. .xs 49,, IS e:s..:..s5,. J.
swell, he's not in the house nor has he
been here tonight" ss;sss g5ss.s :.
Before these words were fairly out of
my mouth, Jamie himself stepped to the
door. s-y 9s7s"f i*sS','z'% 4.
He had listened to all our conversation
and n ow he spoke in his clear manly
voice: sz..,a = J, III, ..sz.s. !. .s.s:.
II am ready TO accompany you, Mr..
Heating, hut with what crime am I
charged9' 4 ~.
Mr.. Heating spoke very low, SO that /
would not hear, but hear I did, and the
words made me faint and sick. I tried
to- Danish the horrible suspicion of my
sons guilt, but could not forget how
the bell had changed the night before.
"Mr. Keahng," said, as calmly as
could, though my voice trembled, twill
you let me speak to my son one minute2"
| "Certainly, Mrs. Riley y
Then the lad. came into the room, and
the constable stood without the door,
and I took the boys hand in mine, and
looking mp into his face spoke these
| words:
"Jamie Riley, by the love you bear me
by the memorg Of your dead father, by
the hope Of your sonl's ralvation, speak
truly-are you guilty or innocent2"
"Innocent, mother-before God, limo.
cent, and he bent down and kissed my
wrinkled forehead, and lifted the great
load of doubt.
''Then go, my darl,ng," said, "and
may the Lord in HIS mercy watch over
you and bring you forth from this tribu-
lation.n
So jamie went away with the consta.
BILE, and sat all night by the fireplace,
moaning and crying as I thought Of my
poor boy in the cold cell Of the Jail.
When the morning dawned tried to
arouse myself to the duties OF the day,
but oh! how lonely and desolote the lit
tie kitchen looked, and when laid the
table and put Jamie's plate at the accus-
toned place, and thought how, perhaps,
for long days he would not be there to
eat any more, my eyes filed with tears
and could do nothing. The news of
Jamie's arrest spread quickly through
the village. When they told it to Mag
gle Ryan, the brave girl tieG on her hood,
and going straight to the Jail, demanded
I'LL 1uICIV16W Will ucI 1OVcTs
She never doubted his innocence for a
moment, and there, wife the bleak dreary
walls surrounding her she remained to be
true and faithful to him always, and de-
vote every energy In securing his vindi-
cation and release.
Her presence cheered jamie, and she
came from the Jail to my cottage, bring
ing many hopeful messages from her
dear boy. From her first learned the
full charge against him.
It seems that On Sunday night jamie
had been seen near the Presbyterian
church shortly before the FIRE was dis
covered there.
Nor was this worst. Joseph Milward,
whose father owned the factory where
my son worked, was ready to swear that
he saw jamie rush from the vicinity of
the vestry where the fire broke out, and
that he spoke to him as he passed. |
David Butler, wealthy young man, was
Milward's companion, and his statement
was the same.
JAMES examinaton-the preliminary
examination they called it-took place |
on Tuesday, The magistrate heard th e
evidence, and said that he must commit
the prisoner to await the action of the
grand jury. We might have got him
out on bail, but there was no one to be-
come his bondsman, for though jamie
had many friends they were all poor.
The boy spoke no harsh words whatev-
er. "'Twill make no difference to me,
MOTHER" he said, when visited him in
his cell, "for the jury is in session, and
if they find an Indictment against me, I
shall be tried in few days. You have
money enough saved up to live on these
many week, and they will acquit me
in the end"
"But, Jamie,"I asked, ''what does
young M1lward mean by his evidenced
He has perured himself, has he not9"
jamie hid bis face In his hands for
moment, and then looking up he said re-
solutely:
81 cannot answer your question, moth
er. God must judge between him and
me-" Then, changing the SUBJECT "Can
you get me lawyer, mother9"
"Of course can, and will"
| So after little more talk, left Jamie,
and sought the Office OF Squire Carnan.
A good man the squire was, and an hon
est lawyer: When he discovered who I
WAS, and my business, he told me blunt
~ that he did not wish to undertake the
case. ~:
care you afraid that I'll not pay you?"
I asked. "It it costs years OF labor, you
shall receive every cent of CHARGE
He smiled sadly. -.
mo, madam, It's not the money" he
said, "but do not like to feel that the
saving Of anybody's life depended on my
efforts" ~.
t"Lifea" I replied, .''would they hang
IF found guilty, in all probability
they will" he replied. a. 4
! scarcely knew what l said, but 1
begged and implored Mr.. Carnan to save
the poor boy. At last he consented to
visit him; sand if am convinced of his
Innocence" he added, II will endeavor
to obtain his acquittal.'' t,s.... >, a. !,
So the squire went to, the Jail, as was
afterwards told, and saw my son alone in
his cell. $50 - -'' ~ ~.
James he said, kindly, 81 want to
know the truth in this case. My position
| as q lawyer, andthe rules of the court
render whatever. you tell me now. as a
sacred secret. BY acknowledging your
guilt-if you are guilty. shall be able
to shape my defense SO as to obtain the
Highest possible punishment sszo}ss.,I 4
Then Jamie stood boldly up in his cell,
= 4 4. 4 - 3