The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-10-08

ate arguments, the Court decided that il
was bound to grant the motion, and ac-
cordingly Ryan was declared mot gull
ty" aud the verdict recorded.
Then came sceae az dramatic 10 those
present as anything ever witnessed on the
stage, Without any operipg speech by
Shorts counsel Ryan, In obedience to a
nod from his attorney, stepped out of the
prisoners dock and into the witness box,
looked around the Court room, took up
the Bible, and was sworn to tell "the
truth, the whole truth. and nothing but
the truth" Every head was bent for
ward, every ear was on the alert. every
eye fixed on the witness ss-something
startling was expected. Would he at
tempt TO show that Short had done the
shooting in self-defense That seemed
the only thing possible. But how could
he be believed in the face Of the positive
testimony of three witnesses, two Of them
living and in the Court room. one Of them
dead-murderedr
Ryan stood for moment looking
down and then slowly lifting his eyes to
the bench, in silence in which the fall
ing of feather might have been heard,
he said:
"May ask the Court question =
The venerable Judge, evidently sur
prised at being Intercepted, looked at
him and said, Certainly, sir"
II understand that ON acquitted" :"
said Ryan, pautirg for a moment and
then continuing; Il want to know from
the Court whether anything may say
now can be ever used against me in any
wsy2"
What did he meanP What need of
that question Every one looked at his
neighbor inquiringly.
The flushed face of the Judge showed
that he, at least, understood what it meant
An attempt to swear his guilty COM
panion out of the hangman's grasp. Then
in tone of unmistakable indignation
came the answer:
~ sm sorry to say, sir, that nothing
you may say now can be used against
you that is, on trial for murder, You
have been acquitted
Ryan. face grew pale and red and he
said slowly and distinctly:
1T was I who fred oil the shots--not
Short"
Most of the faces in the Court room
wore looks of indignation at the harden
ed wiokedness of the man who had just
been declared innocent. and who, by his
own statement, was gully of murder, IL
be was not guilty Of perjury.
But. quietly and calmly, without tre-
NOR, as cooliy as though he was describ'
ing some trivial occurrence which he had
casually Witnessed, Ryan went on steT
by step. detailing all that had occurred
and when he had finished his story there
was probably not person present who
was not fully convinced not only tina
Ryan had told the simple truth, but alsC
. that he had himself fired the fatal shO
, in self defense. or at least under sucl
circumstances of danger that would hav
led any jury to acquit him.
He detailed how he had hred from
4 single barreled pistol in the air vithou
, any puapose except to give his challeng
. er scare, and then ran down the alley
: upon being closely pursued by the de
ceased with re drawn and ready t
strike, he was compelled to pull out
tvolver ard fire several shots toward hi
4 pursuer, who was rapidly gaining o
!, him, to keep him back, and that whe
he had but one shot left, he stumble
!, over large stone. and fell on his knee
and at this moment the deceased struc
=, at him with the sabre, cutting him sligh
;, ly in the cheek, and being thus pressed
=, he aimed and fred the last shot, whic
subsequently proved fatal, He furth'
told how, upon recovering his feet, /
= ran, waded through the stream. and. fnC
ing that he had lost his hat when he fel
rstraced his steps, reorossed the stream
found his hat, ami then went TO hote
where he was seen by several witntss'
= 10 dry his clothing. His manner, b
bearing. and his clothing itself convince
= his hearers that he was telling the trutl
- But 81 that nothing might be wau'ir
IL any doub, renamed in the minds
the Judge or Jury. witness Of undoubtt
veracity were called. who coToborate
him as to the condition of his clothir
and the cut on his cheek within fiftet
minutes after the occurrence Beside
II was shown that, although the man WI
As had fred had waded through the strean
d Shorts olothing was perfectly dry.
1t is unnecessary to say that Short ",
& promptly acquitted and warmly congra
D. ulated on one of the narrowsst ssoap
al ever made by any man in the Con
he room. Nothing could have saved Iii
" had the Court refused to direct the q
ae quittal of Ryan and allow him to testii
10 The decreased Corp ral. the soldie
oI and Mary Brown were-mistaken. Th
ID ns all there was about it.
o So much for the occasional unsafene
le of the direct testimony of honest ey
:" Witnesses.
Aud so much. also, for giving the a
c oused an opportunity to be heard on Il
g. witness stand the denial of which by Il
d. Law is one of the relics of barbaris
~' which still disgrace its administration
10 some states at this late day.
e. Col. A. Wood whom ever.
I'd body in Scranton. Pa, knows, writes al
an ssys, II had long suffered from a derang
ment Of the bladder aud kidneysj il b,
ID msda my general health very poor. ! al
~. \ a.sI s.tl