Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-09-09

Il arrest you, Marion Elliott. for the
murder OF your husbandl"
At those words, for the first time in
my life, tainted dead awav.
EDWARD SMITHS STORY.
am a lawyer, senior partner in the
6rn of Smith i Todd. am Edward
Smith. Some time ago I was asked to
take the defence of a certain Marian
Elliot who WAS CHARGED with the mur.
der of her husband. L was at first in.
cllned to refuse the case.
i had made up mind to decline having
anything to do with it, when was told
that a gentleman wished to sprak To
me. he was shown into my office.
saw a tall, powerful, rather handsome
man.
''Mr. Smith, presume?" he said.
81 am Mr.. Vaughan
''I have come aboat the case of Mrs
Elliott. Will you undertake her de-
fense?"
Excuse me-" l replied. 81 am
afraid can have nothing to do with
it.n
'Do you believe her guilty2'' he
asked.
appearances are strongly against
her."
Il didn't know that lawyers judged
by appearances" he said. And in
this case 1t would be cruel injustice
for the lady is innocent.''
"Can you prove itY'
He looked rather uneasy at me.
Perhaps" he said, avoiding nv
question, ''Ihad better tell you who |
am. The murdered man was my cous-
III. He treated his wife shamefully. :"
80 l understand, returned. His
wife is suppo ed to have stabbed him
because he struck her. The chief wit
ness against her is servant
81 know" returned the other; 'but
he acknowledges that she left the room
without striking the blow He cannot
swear actually to the murder"
1T is very seldom any one can," /
remarked,
''But she must be saved," cried Mr..
Vaughan excitedly. 81 tell you she Is
innocent. Great Heaven. do you mean
to tell me they will dare to hang that
splendid creature? Before you refuse
to defend her, go and see her, speak to
her, hear what she has to say; and, if
you still think her guilty, l will save
her myself"
began to be interested in the case;
professionally it seemed seductive.
Within a couple of hours, having OBJ
tanned the necessary permi, sion, | was
uShered into the presence of my client.
/ was surprised at her appearance. |
had no expectation of seeing such a
singularly beautiful woman; and my
first thodght was-how could any man
have been such brute as to ill-use a
creature like her?
told her briefly who was.
''I suppose tLen," she said, ''you
know of what am accused?'
Yes"
"And you believe me innocent?"
II hope TO prove your innocence?" L
answered.
''How can youf'
81 have not yet looked very carefully
into the case; but there are few instan-
ces where some loop-hole of escape may
not DC lOullu.
81 don't see any in this"
She spoke with a calE1ness that sur
prised me.
"You plead not guilty. of courseP'
1 said.
"Of course. l am innocent.
81 will give you his to read," she
said, handing me some pages of writing
lit is my whole history. Don't read 1t
here take it away with you. If YOU
come back, 1 will explain more fully
anything yoa may think requires ex-
planation.
l returned to my Office with the man.
uscript. and there read Marian Elliott's
history as told by herself. When | had
finished it, l was convinced that my
client was innocent. No guilty woman
I felt. could have written like that. The
question now was how to 70 Te her
innocence.
In the first place 1t was plain her hus :
hand had been murdered. The nature
of the wound precluded all idea of its
having been self-enficted. Further
more. there had been some appearances
of a struggle in the room. Sc far this
was the only point in favor OF my client
IF the man had not been murdered In
his sleep, was it likely he could have
been overcome in struggle with his
wife?
1t was late, and, putting the papers
together. rose, intending to take them
home with me. As Preached the door,
il was opened from the outside, and |
found myself face to face with Mr..
Vaughan, the ''cousin Thomas, >" sup
posed of the narrative.
.What do you want?" Iasked sharply
81 am going home nOw."
Cant you spare me few minutesP"
he said in reply. Il want to know if
you have seen her,"
"Yes, have seen her,"
"And you think you can prove her
sThe evidence is very strong against
her," said, looking keenly at him. L
thought he turned pale.
ssSurely they will never have the heart
to condemn a creature so young and so
he said.
s.Perhaps not, If the jury have any
pretext for letting her off,"
| returned. "But they cannot fly in
the face of the evidence"
"You talk as though you were for
the prosecution instead of the defence!"
II will do what L can for my CLIENT"
I returned; ''but, unless | can produce
some stronger evidence of her innocence
than her youth and beauty, am afraid
the case Is hopeless one"
"If came here tomorrow evening""
he said. Twill you be able to see meT L
think can help you"
He had turned his face so could not
see the expression; but his voice was
hoarse.
Il will see you,' 1 replied.
The next morning L went again to
see Mrs. Elliott.
swell" she said, have you read my
"Yes; and I hope to make the world
believe your innocence as firmly as L
do"
Her face, which had hitherto been
hard and Indifferent, suddenly righ-
tened.