Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-05-18

speeding away toward my destination.
i. The train was full. Pipes exhaled
their fragrance, newspapers were turned
and aattened, and there was that leisurely
kind Of morning conversation that pre-
walls among men going off by an early
train to their days work. I soon discov-
cred that had fallen among party of
barristers and their chief topic was a Pc
culiarly interesting case which was to be
finished to- day at the L. assizes.
HE must sum against the prisoner
said a gentleman with fat, ford face
and long sandy whiskers, who wore light
overcoat and shepherds plaid trousers.
''The defence was a complete failure, and
deserved to be.'
''It was certainly audacious." returned
clean shaven young man with double
eye glass. who sat opposite me. '.But I
don't like clrcumstantial evidence
"All evidence is more or less clrcum-
stantial," answered he of the ford COM
| plexion: s'and this man is as clearly
guilty;to my mind as if there had been a
dozen witnesses to stand by him and see
him do the deed. That's my opinion.
| Haywood" and the oracle disappeared
behind the newspaper.
Feeling glad to discover any topic that
would divert my thoughts from their
gloomy forebodings, addressed myself to
Haywood, the young barrister, with whom
[ had slight acquaintance.
" GU seem much interested in this trial
that is going on" said. sMay ask if
you are engaged upon it p''
mo" he answered. "But it is curious
case. A man, clerk dismissed from his
employment, is accused Of numbering the
cashier Of the firm. The evidence against
him is entirely circumstantial; but the de-
fence broke down at the most critical
point, and the case certainly looks very
black for the prisoner"
The train was now slackening speed,
and there was general rising. rose
too.
.sAre. you going to get out here ?" said
Mr.. Haywood. opening the door as we
gllded into the station. "Have you come
down so early on business2"
Eyes," [ said, wishing to goodness I
knew what the Immediate business was.
Nothing very urgent, though added,
half to myself, as got out.
eff you have the time to spare, you had
better turn in and hear the end of the
trial." said Haywood. 1.-THE court will be
crowded with ladies, no doubt, but can
smuggle you into corner"
Not knowing what to do with myself
for the next two hours, I accepted the
offer with gratitude. I was soon seated
in an obscure corner of dingy, ill-lighted,
ill-ventilated court house, which would
have been ill-smelling too, had it not been
for the scent of perfume waited
from the numerous ladies who were
present. One of these, buxom
female obstruction who ought to have
have known better, was just IN front of
me, and blocked my view with an enorm-
GUS bonnet. I could not see the prisoner
or his counsel. or even the clock over his
head. at which the people kept looking
eagerly. as the hour fixed for the recon-
naencement of the trial approached.
at last, there was stir and hustle,
caused by persons invisible to me, then a
call for silence. and, after few prelimi-
naries. the summing up commenced.
listened the more intently because 1
could see nothing. The clear, cold, tell.
ing sentences cut deep in my conscious.
ness. How distinct it all was! How all
those minute facts. the mute testimony of
footmarks and the like, arranged and dis
tributed by that powerful intellect,
grouped themselves into the damning
proof of guilt
cared nothing for the prisoner, had no
personalinteres in the trial, but my mind
was wonderfully fascinated by this tale
of horror. At length the weighty tones
ceased. and a murmur of relief and expec-
tation ran around the assembly. At this
moment the woman with the high bonnet
shifted her seat, and obtained full view
of the prisoner. I started involuntarily.
Where had seen that face before?
The jury returned after short times
the verdict was guilty. accompanied with
a recommendation to mercy. Again the
judges solemn tones sounded through the
court, again they ceased.
There was dead silence. / sprung to nv
feet as if impelled to do so by some unseen
power, and looked steadily at the prisoner.
His face was averted from me for a mo-
ment, but the looks of the people showed
me that he was about to speak. Slowly
he turned round, and, in a voice whose
deep, earnest tones could be heard all over
the assembly, he said:
"There lives but one man who can prove
me innocent-and there he stands!'
With white face and outstretched arm
he pointed-at me. gazed at him with
sudden flash of recognition. It was the
man had seen under the lamp. And, by
strange coincidence, at this moment the
court clock struck twelve.
= The plea that had been got up by the
defence was an alibi. But taere was
space of some two hours that could not be
accounted for, and the theory of the pros
ecution was that the crime had been COM
mitted during that time. My evidence
supplied che missing link, for the place in
which had seen the man was SO far dis
tant from the scene of the murder that it
was impossible for him to have been any
where near at the time of its occurrence.
And the dream Only coincidence,
you will say. perhaps, or fit of indiges-
tion. or my timber contract. Neverthe-
less, as I have told it to you. SO it happen