The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1883-02-17

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:" But l don't like circumstantial evil
dence."
IAN evidence is more or less circum-
stantial, " answered he of the forid COM
plexion; land this man is as clearly
guilty to my mind as if there had been
a dozen witnesses to stand by and see
him do the deed. That's my opinion,
Haywood" and the oracle disappeared
behind its newspaper.
Feeling glad to discover any topic
that would divery my thoughts from
their gloomy forebodipgs, | addressed
myself to Haywood. the young barrister.
with whom / had slight acquaintance.
! You seem much Interested in this
trial that is going on" l said. "Mey
ask If you are engaged upon it?'
No, y he answered. "But il is a Gu
nous case. A man, a clerk dismissed
| from his employment accused of mur-
dering the cashier of the firm. The
evidence against him is entirely circum-
stantial; out the defense broke down at
the most critical point, and the case Ger
family looks very Black for the prisoner. /"
| The tram was now Stacking speed
and there was general rising. | rose.
| too.
Are you goingto get out here % said
Mr. Haywood, opening the door aa we
| glided into the station.
Have you come down so early ON
| business ."
8 Yes" ] said, wishing TO goodness
knew what the immediate business
was. Nothing very urgent, though,
added, half to myself, as | got out.
If you have the time to spare Won
had better turn III and hear the end of
the trial, - said Haywood. "'The court
will be crowded with ladies. no doubt.
but can smuggle you into a corner
Not knowing what to do with myself
the next few hours, accepted The offer
with gratitude. ] was soon settled IN an
obscure corner OF dingy, i'll lighted.
| lll-yentllated court house. which would
! have been Ill smelling, too. had It not
| been Tor the scent waited fro m the nun
erous ladies who were present. One OF
these, a buXom female obstruction, who
ought TO have known better, was lust In
front of me, and blocked my view with
an enormous bonnet. | could not see
the prisoner or his counsel, or even the
clock over ms head, at which the people
kept looking eagerly as the hour fixed
Tor the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of the trial APP
preached.
At last there was a stir and hustle.
caused by persons invisible to me, then
a cry OF silence, and after a few pre-
lmlnafles the summing commenced.
L listened the more intently because
could see nothing. The clear, cold.
telling sentences cut deep in nv con
seriousness. How distinct and convinc-
| ing 1t ali was How all those minute
facts, the mute testimony of footmarks
and the like, arranged aud distributed
| by that powerful intellect, grouped
themselves into the damning proof of
| guilt!
cared nothing for the prisoner, had
no personal interest in the trial, but my
mind was wonderfully fascinated by the
tale OF horror. At length the weighty
tones ceased, and a murmur of relief and
| expectation ran round the assembly, At
this moment the woman with the HIGH
bonnet shifted her seat, and [ obtained
a full view of the prisoner. | started
lnvoluntarily. Where had [ seen that
face before?
The jury returned after a short alb
sence; the verdict was guilty, accom-
! panied with recommendation to mercy.
Again the judges solemn tones sounded
| through the court, again they ceased.
There was dead silence. ( sprang 10
my feet as if impelled to DO SO by some
unseen power, and looked steadily at the
! prisoner. His face was averted from NE
for the moment, but the looks of the
| people showed me he was about tOspeak.
Slowly he turned round, and, in a voice
whose deep tones could be heard all
over the asseem bly,, he said:
There lives but one man who can
prove me innocent-and there he
stands. "
With white face and outstretched
arms he pointed me. Igazed at him
with a sudden fash of recognition. It
was the man had seen under the lamp.
| And, by a strange coincidence, at tlis
moment the court clock struck twelve.
The plea that had been got up by the
| defense was az abb. But there was q
! space OF some two hours that could not
! be accounted for, and the theory of the
! prosecution was that the crime had been
/ committed during that time. Ny evi-
/ dence supplied the missing link, for the
! place IN which had seen the man was
so far distant from the scene OF the
murder that ii was impossible for him to
have been anywhere near at the time OF
its coincidence.
And the dream? Only a coincidence,
You viii say, perhaps, or a fit Of indi.
gestion, or my timber contract. New
eItheless, as [ have told it to yOu, 50 il
happened. Explain 1t away who can.