Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1883-05-29

in the custody Of a policeman.
In the usual brief space of tim
the inevitable crowd assemble,
about us. / was regarded witt
curiosity, loaded with reproaches
andfayored with wit of an ex
tremely personal nature, all a
the same moment. This l bor'
with patience, if not with goot
humor, convinced that on the ar
rival of Sprucington I would ge
clear OF my tormentors Pres
entity a line was made for the
approach OF the owner Of the
stolen property. Judge Of my
horror on perceiving that the
painting individual who made hif
appearance was a total stranger
to me!
Of course, all my protestations
OF innocence we're of no avail
and ! was treated III the manner
described in the commencement
Chatter, clash. rumble, bang
The cell door closed upon Inc and
l was a prisoner.
| spare you description OF
that night OF horror, for such ii
was to one who had never before
suffered an hours deprivation OF
liberty how the monotony OF the
long, l1ng hours was only broken
ut intervals by the appearance at
the grating OF stern visage,
demanding whether all was
hight how at four o'clock A. NJ
two fellow-prisoners, IN the
shapes OF a drunken scavenger
and II deserter from the army ,
were thrust into the cell, or how
III the morning all the cells were
empiied, and We, the occupants,
with aching bones, unwashed and
uoksinpt, we're paraded thr ugh
the streets, in a melancholy
string, TO the Toombs.
Fortunately my case came on
early, SO that had not long to
wait among the crowd of dirty,
disreputable prisoners.
At the cry OF "James McElroy"
/ shuddered to hear my name in
such a place., and my attendant
policeman marched into court
At the same moment the prose
cutor entered the witness box to
be sworn. He was a priggish-
looking man OF about 40 years,
and no more like Ned Sprucing-
ton in front than ! was like the
Worth Monument.
In a few calm. well-chosen
words, be described the whole
occurrence. When he had I'm
ished, l WAS told that / could put
any questions to him that !
thought proper. l declined to do
SO. Then, after bis evidence had
been confirmed by the constable
who arrested me. Judge Bowling
asked me- Well, my friend,
what have you to say to this Z"
In reply, | gave the simple and
unvarnished statement which 1
had already given at the police
ststion.
"That is all very we'll as far as
it goes; but have you any wit
nesses as to character?
Eyes, sir; Mr.. Edward Spruce
ington.'
"Call Edward Sprucington.'
Then l could hear the crier
shouting the familiar name
through the passages OF the
court
After few minutes suspense,
the official returned, accompanied.
to my great delight, by Ned. The
good fellow looked so distressed
to see nue. in such a predicament.
that | felt convinced he would
have given a dozen umbrellas to
have got me out OF the scrape. l
noticed that the prosecutor
changed color; I also noticed
that while taking the oath, Ned
kept one hand behind his back;
| could not have told you why,
but somehow l derived encour-
agement from those trlfiing cir
cumstances.
To shorten matters, / may say
that if I had been a ssraph ]
could not have received better
character than that given me by
Ned. At last came the question,
Then you think the prisoner
incapable OF stealing the UNI
brella?
"Well, sir. said Ned, who bad
a l.