Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-12-08

dSO. UASu tuc CottutIy Wis utW. ue
judges then had to go from one court
house to another on horseback. There
We're no railroads then. I tell you
there has been great change in this
country. Well, l am getting off
from the subject. I was to hold the
November term in Plainville; the
court house was an immense log
cabin; behind it was log barn made
on purpose for the Judge to keep his
horse in After long, tiresome ride.
l arrived at Plainville; 1 noticed
very large crowd Of people around
the court house. and wondered what
it meant. While l was caring for my
horse, four or five of the citizens,
and the best citizens, too, of the
place came into the barn.
Good morning, Judge" SAID one.
who appeared to be the spokesman of
the party.
Good morning, SIR" replied.
Fine day. Judge"
"Yes, sir, very fine"
"Got much to do in the Court?'
Il do not know"
You have got one queer case, and
a bad one, too
''Is that 500"
"Yes-a murder
am sorry"
1T is bad, Judge, and a woman,
too"
"A woman murdered?"
''No, no; a woman did the murder
ing?"
THAT is bad; I am very sorry to
hear that any woman should be &C
cused Of murder
'sIt's awful, Judge. She is guilty,
and that makes it worse
HAS she been tried?'
mo, she amt tried; you've got to
try her, and what we want is this:
don't let her slip bit; you just SEN
tence her, and we'll be glad to do the
hanging"
''But suppose that she is not guilty;
you don't want her hung in that case,
do you!"
'But she is guilty. She bought
poison, and gave it to her man. And
did we not find his body in the river,
and the poison in his body?'
"And did not she and her husband
have big. quarrel, and she make
awful threats to him the night before
he was found dead? There is no
question about the guilt, judge
"Has she been indicted?"
'Yes, at the last court; she was in
dicted, and we would have lynched
her; yes, Sir, we came near stringlng
her up"
1--WE must give her fair trial be-
fore We hang her." remarked.
I'VE don't object to that. Every
body says that she is guilty, and she
is guilty, and must be hung, that's
all there is to it. Judge"
1 concluded it was not wise to con-
tinue the conversation any further.
went into the courtroom and took
my seat upon the bench. 1 had Il
hard time to get into the court room,
the crowd of people was so dense.
As l passed through among them
received many gratuitous admoni-
ton like this-''Give her what she de-
serves, Judge" I saw that the pop-
ular feeling was against the woman,
and l too, began to think that the
people, for they were a good people,
were right.
After the preliminary business OF
the Court was done. 1 found that by
arrangement with the attorneys every
case had been put off, SO as to have
the murder trial first. So the jury
was drawn. I knew that every mar
in the jury box believed her guilty,
but I could not help it. 1t was i'm
possible to get any one who thought
differently.
The prisoner was brought in hand
cuffed. I thought the Handwriting
was unnecessary, but the sheriff took
that precaution. The first impres
sion tnat came to my mind Us looked
at the prisoner, was, how could one
so young and SO beautiful commit
such terrible crime! She turned
her pale, tear-stained face and looked
at me. In that pitiful look I read
her prayer It was that 1 should pro-
tect her.
'Are you guilty or not guilty." said
the District Attorney.
Not guilty" Her answer was in
a firm, sad voice.
For moment allowed myself to
believe that she had plead truthfully.
But when l heard the subduad hiss
that came from the people, l said to
myself, "She lies"
We went on with the trial. The
lawyer who had previously been ap-
pointed to conduct the defense was a
young man, and a disgrace to the
profession. 1t seemed as if he did
ali he could to assist the prosecution.
The evidence was conclusive. Her
husband had come home the worse
1or whisky. They had some hard
words; she had told him that if he