The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1883-11-10

"A La 81

patience with the question, "Do You
ever think it right t" defend u NAN
whom you believe to be guilty p were
it less frequently asked by the people
who spend six days of the week trying
to get the cpper hand Of the T. neigh
bors, and the seventh to cilcumyent
commend the answer which Or. john
SOL once gave to Boswell: 81 i'
"Sir, my lawyer Is not the ;udg".'
Was it my place. when George Gil
berts little sorrow worn wife. with
tears glistening in her eyes besought
me to do what | could for her imprison
ed husband. virtu0"sly to turn my back
and leave her tired, struggling heart t"
break or not, us it might? | was Meth
er a priest nor II Levite to fiud Il ready
excuse for passing by on the other side.
Yet, what could | ito ?.George Gilbert
had been sent OH IL collecting tour. and
had gambl+d away money received for
his employers. 1t was IL plain case OF
embezzleunent, and the penalty was a
term of yeats in the state prison.
~ am sure he never meant to be dis
honest" pleaded the loyal little M
"He was tempted by a crafty and de-
signing man, but, Instead of running
away, as others would have done, he
came back and confessed his fault. Of
fering to et,his salary G" toward max
ing up the lost money antil every cen
was paid"
Mr.. Meek. the junior partner, was III
clined to be me,citul, but Mr.. Mangle.
the head OF the house. after u years s.b
sence. insisted that the law should take
its course.
gave what poor consolation could.
for lawyers, like doctors, must keep
their PARENTS courage up at times. N
.:In the first place w see Mrngle &
Meek" I said. Mr.. Mangle may be
brought to hear reason. after all l.iflle
a be only1made ,e seq his in'srestin
such Il course"
The rale and d~espondent face cheer
ed up Il little. My words seemed t"
arons a sort OF underlined hope, which
was far from feeling myself. =
MrsMangle Received mes with stony
politeness.
young man" his name said. "don't
waste time in appeals foeseutiment-
you won't, if you'll just look at me-
I to"kihe hint aud, c;p4e at once to
business-repeatedAGilbert's oHAr and
put itfas strongly as possible thak more
was to be gnined 81 lepiency than
by ~harshness. all Of which Mr.. Mangle
listened to with Ia con~scientious sffowl.
81 cannot be a party I'd cohpoiiding
a felony" Ae ansSerrdsxvh IL solsm'
i%ntOnatiOn.
"Nor have asked ypu TO-" I replied.
a little. nettleed. Il have mentioned a
plan Of paying back your OWE :eaviba
it to your pwns generosity and good
Judgment to press or not press the pro
secution.' .4fiE4tGf "a
.. oh, it's all the same was the con
teWptuous srrjoiuder /; "anybody but a
lawyer, with his head full of qulps and
4uibbfes:crutd-se- Observation-Disclosures
is something rather cbpl in the propo-
sal to keep Your friend in our employ,
under pretence of working out the mon
ey he has stolen, with the opportunity
of flching twice rs nlucll MONEY ia the
meantime! Nice Ha,tabgeinent that.!"
l felt my temper rising, and not car.
ing to impeiil my clients interest by
an outright quarrel l took a hasty
leave. -
Had l been in the prisoners place on
the morning axed tor the trial., I could
not have assembled the courthouse steps
with more reluctance than l did. And
=. when I entered the courthouse and
found Gilbsxt szsad 1Ais VIE ALREADY
thereS aud Mp ! llsl'apeinl BOX viil
whithfshd lafter greeted my c6ming,
my heart sickeneds at The Ihp ought q
the bitter -disapp0intment awaiting
them "a N, - ' @#
4s4Thee People versus Gilbert called
out h judgt, after disposing of some
formal matters. A-jufy was immediate
~ impaneled and the case opened by
the district attorney.
Mr.. Meek was the first witness. The
nervous. hesitating manner in which he
gave his evidence would have greatly
damaged its effect, had it not evidently
arisen from a disposition to do the pris
oner as little hart as possible. But no
softeninc could break the terrible force
of the facts he was compelled then and
there to relate.
In his partners absence he had EN-
ployed George Gilbert as a clerk, had
found him competent and Trustworthy,
had sent him on a trip to make collec-
tions ; on his return he had acknowl-
edged that, after receiving a consider
able sum, he was induced by a respect
able looking gentleman with whom he
had casually.,fallen in, to join in a social
game of cards. At first they played
for amusement, then for money /; and
after losing all his. in the hope Of re-
trieviog bis loss, with the fatal ~infatua
tim which attends the first infection al