St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1883-09-29
The JUDGES WIFE.

Nh'IAASeoi. Oue Oh tnC
most prominent inrists in Arkan-
saw, at banquet !ile other night,
related az interesting renlinisence
OF the early days Of Arkaasaw.
i came here" said the Judge,
JusS after | has! been admitted to
the bar In aNo:thern State. Like
the average young lawyer, I was
poor, and actaaily thirssed for a
case. Shortly after arrived I went
to mountain district, and stopped
at small town where court was in
session. There WAS considerable
excitement III the town over the
tflal OF a young man who had been
indicted tor murder. The older
lawyers were 10th to engage in the
prosecution. so the young prose-
cutting attorney was working SIN
| Sle-handGd. l met him the second
day alter my arrival. and when he
learned that was lawyer, he said:
1 am glad 10 see Won. for [ know
That, as young man III the pro-
fesslon, you of course want an in
PRODUCTION to the people oil the
State. Nothing SO quickly and eff
fectua!ly introduces Il man as par
tlclpancy In an Important case. ]
am at present prosecuting, for :nur-
der, II young fellow ramed Dawes.
lie Is as guilty as guilty can be, and
should By all means hang, vet !
fear, with So much opposition, !
Will not be able to assist Justice to
4 proper punishment of the terri
bic crime. Now. what | want YOU
to do Is to assist me."
Il did not at MI relish the IDEA
that my first case should be one Of
tragedy, and that my first money
derived from law should be blood
money; but, seeing no other open
ing; and fearing .iiat 20 other would
present itself, [ consented. just
before we reached the argument in
the case the prosecuting attorney
Was taken violently Ill. leaving the
eDtlre conduct OF the case devolyiny
upon me. This, 70 be. pu. a dread.
ful phase Oh the affair, and for n
time l meditated whether or not /
would ran away from the country
aud seek my fortune elsewhere, but
finally deciding that l could never
become lawyer without making
sacrifices III the discharge of my
duty, resolved to remain and do
my best. / studied the case care
fully. l went to the place, !. short
distance away, and examiEod the
ground where the murder bad been
committed. ! found witness who
had not been summoned, and. upon
the whole, did good detective work.
The arsnmen: began. l nerved my
self to the point, AID made the best
speech J could possibly formulate.
| was somewhat surprised at my
own powers, and at the interest L
was taking IN the case. The pris-
oner, :. handsome fellow, would at
times look at me in mute appeal,
but | knew that he was guilty.
established the fact that the defend
ant had quarreied with an old man
named Shannon, and that shortly
afterwards he went to Shannon s
field and shot him from the fence.
[ made every point So Gear that l
could see the lurymen shaking their
heads when au illustration was
strikingly vivid. The counsel for
the defense, composed of old law
yers, whose fame had long since
been established. locked at me in
astonishment. They met me, and
wanted a compromise. | knew
nothing but justice. and. justice
knew no compromise. Finally the
case went to the jury. Within five
minutes afterward q verdict of
guilty was rendered
AN appeal to the Supreme Court
was taken, but the decision Of the
court below was sustained, and the
youn. man was hanged.
Il did not settle i'll the town. for
the scene became rcpu!sive. |
moved to another part of the State,
where l soon established good
practice.
''One day, about three years after
ward, INST, 1t a Northern watering
place. a beautiful young woman,
whose husband was dying OF con.
SUMPTION. Size seemed SO devoted
to htm, consulted mis- every whim,
and WAS so.anxious about his COM
fort, that | was attracted toward
her. She did not seem to doubt
her husbands rec,yarv .nl ,,nn,