The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-02-12
An Effective Plea.

1t happened in Texas, and within fe y
hundred miles of Galveston. Il poorly
clad, thin looking boy was brought up for
trial on the charge of stealing a ham from
u grocer His name was Jerry McGonigle,
the son OF an alleged poor but virtuOus
widow. The personal appearance of the
boy was not sufficiently attractive to blind
the jurors to the real merits of The case.
The foreman Of the jury, who was pro-
fessional, told the next iuryman confiden-
TALLY that, although he had been on the
Dench-,he jury bench-f the last TWEEN
ty-five years, ho had never seen such a de-
pravcd face on mere boy. The other
iuryman whispered back that the sheriff
had ruined his chances for reelection with
the law-abiding element by taking the
handcuits OIL such desperate villain and
allowing him to sit near the stove. A plea
of mot guilty" was entered aud the trial
proceeded. The evidence was dead against
the boy, but before the case went To the
jury the boy's lawyer got up and said
"AIay it please your honor, the mother
OF this unfortunate boy has just received
information from New Orleans that, owing
10 the death of a relative in that city, she
comes into possession Of large number of
houses, railroad and other stock to be held
Ill trust for this boy. myself have seen
the documents"
"Whcre does the widow livc2" asked
several.
When the jury got back, after an ub-
sence of one minute, there were real tears
| or Joy III the eyes OF the foreman US he pro-
! nounccd the verdict 'nol guilty" amid the
suppressed cheers of the crowd. The boy was
| heartily congratulated by the lawyers and
| iurymcn who gathered around him. The
prosecuting attorney lntinated that he
| would proceed crimina,ly and civilly against
| The grocer from whom the ham was stolen.
An older lawyer, who was u bachelor, told
! The 10y he was sorry that he was not COM
plete orphan, as he was looking for bright
| boy to adopt and leave his wealth tn The
foreman Of the jury suddenly remembered
| that he had known the widow in former
| days; that she was lady. and tit to be the
companion of an English peer Several
members Of the bar accompanied the boy
home to break the glad news Of his acquittal
to the suddenly rich widow.
Reporters are naturally suspicious, and u
representative called on the boys lawyer
to obtain some more details.
''Tha. boy and his mother are in blg
| luck" "
YES" said the lawyer, "ihey nearly got
| him that time. He's the worst little rascal
| i'll Texas, and his mother is no better She
encourages him in his stealing, but then
she is very poor"
DO you mean to say that il is all a cock.
nnd-bull story about his coming in possess
sion Of houses, railroad and other stock,
| through the death Of u relative in Now Or
lcans2"
The lawyer laughed and said: 81 tell
you coniidcn'ially was foollng the iel-
lows. The widow McGoniglc had sister
in New Orleans, and that sister had boy.
She bought the boy, at auction, big lot of
toys, wooden houses, tin railroads and
Noah's ark full Of bl)odcd stock, but the
BOY got genuine case OF malarial, typho-
bilious, remittent fever Of some kind, and
died, aud 50 the New Ore ms woman ship
ped the slutf to the widow for her boy
Billy. | saw the letter and the boy myself.
1t Is Il fact that he has come in possession
Of houses, railroads and stock, as l. lstatcd,
Tor would lathcr give up tho profession
than lie"
II always knew that" said the report
er.
1T is right amusing to sec three or four
old buffers prowling about the place. One
OF them has bought Bill new suit of
clothes and invited the widow TO a mas
queradc ball. They get out OF the house
like they had been scalded when the widow
shows them thoimproyed property and tho
rest OF the playthlngs. They 90 about
raving and say am 10 blame for it all,
but don't soc how, do your only stated
the simple truth, and, when can't do that
any more In Tex court house, [ am
going to quit the law and become journal
lst."