Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-09-24

The Judge turned to the prisoner:
Emma Greenleaf, the court has been in
formed that your counsel, Colonel Linton,
is sick, and can not attend. Have you
employed any otherp"
| She answered in voice as sweet as the
MARBLE of nightingale, and clear as the
song of a skylark: my enemies have
briDed all the lawyers, even my own, to
be sick; but God will defend the innO-
cent?"
At this response, too touching in its
simple pathOs, portion of the audience
buzzed applause and the rest wept. On
the instant, however, the leather-robed
stranger, whose aspect had previously
created so much merriment, approached
the prisoner and whispered something in
her ear. She bounded several inches
from the floor, uttered wild shrek, and
then stood pale and trembling as If in
presence of ghost from the grave. all
could not perceive that there must be
some mysterious connection between the
two, and the scene assumed the profound
interest of genuine romance. The
stranger addressed the court in accents
as sOn0rOus as the tone of an organ.
MAY 1t please your honor, will under
take to defend the legal rights OF the
lady,"
"Whatp exclaimed the astonished and
Attorney"
"The question is immaterial and irrele-
want" said the stranger with sneer,
las your statute entities any person to
act as counsel at the request of one of
the parties"
"Let her speak for herself" said the
stranger.
"IdO," was her answer, as long-drawn
sigh escaped, that seemed to rend her
very heart strings.
"What Is your name, as it must be
placed on recOrd% Intercepted the
judge.
william Denton" said the stranger.
The case Immediately progressed. We
briefly epitOmize the substance Of the
evidence. About twelve months pre-
viOusly the defendant had arrived in
town and opened an establishment of
millinery. She resided in a small back
room of the shop, and all alone she pre-
pared the various articles of her trade,
with unwearied toll and cOnsummate
taste. Her habits were secluded, modest
and retiring; and hence she might have
hoped to escape nOtOriety but for the
peculiar gift of that extraordinary
beauty which too often, and to the poor
and friendless always, proves a curse.
She was soon sought after by those gay
firefies Of fashion, the business of whose
life everywhere is seduction and ruin.
But the beautiful stranger rejected them
all alike with unutterable scOrn and
loathing,
Among these disappointed admirers
was one of character from which the
fair milliner had everything to fear.
Hiram Shore belonged to family at
once Opulent, influential and dissipated.
He was himself licentiOus. brave and re-
vengeful, and duelist of established
and terrible fame. 1t was generally
known that he had made advances to win
the favor of the lovely Emma, and had
shared the fate of all her other wOOers-
q disdainful repulse.
At 9 o'clock on Christmas evening,
1888, the people of Little Rock was start
led by a loud scream, as if from some
one in mortal terror; while following
that, with hardly an interval, came sue
cessive reports of firearms, one, two,
three-a dozen deafening explosions.
They flew to the shop of the milliner,
whence the sounds emanated, and pushed
back the unfastened door. A dreadful
scene was presented. There she stood in
the center of the room, with revolver in
each hand, every barrel discharged, her
features pale, her eyes flashing wildly,
and her lips parted with an awful smile.
And there at her feet, weltering in his
warm blood, his bosom literally riddled
with shot, lay the all-dreaded duelist,
Hiram Shore, gasping in the last agony.
He articulated but single sentence,
"Tell my mother that am dead and gone
to hell" and instantly expired.
"In Gods name, who did this?" cried
the appalled, spectators.
81 did it," said the beautiful milliner,
in her sweet, silver accents, II did it to
save my honor"
Such is brief extract of the essential
circumstances. as developed on the ex-
animation of the witnesses. The testi-
mOny closed, and the pleading began.
First of all, Flower, Pike and Ashley,
all famous lawyers at the time in the
southwest, spoke in succession for the
prosecution. They about equally pro-
portiOned their elOquence between the
prisoner and her advocate, covering the
latter with such sarcastic wit, raillery
and ridicule as to make it a matter Of
doubt whether he or his client was the
party then on trial. As to Denton. how
ever, he seemed not to pay the slightest
attention to his opponents, but remain
ed motiOnless, with his forehead bowed
on his hands, like one buried in deep
thought.
When his time came, however, he sud-
denly sprang to his feet, crossed the bar
and took position almost touching the
foreman OF the jury. He then COM
menced in whisper so wild, peculiar,
and indescribably distinct, as to fill the
| floor from hall to galleries.
AT the Outset he dealt i'm pure logic.