Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-01-10
A Remarkable Trial,

Old Judge Grepson, Justice of the
! Peace, was never known TO smile. He
came to Arkansas years ago, and year af
( ter year, by will of the voters, he held hi:
! place as magistrate. The lawyers who
practiced in his Court never joked with
| him, because every one soon learned that
he never engaged in leyity.
| No one ever went to his home, a little
cottage among the trees in the city's out
, skirts, because he had never shown a dis
! position to make welcome the visits Of
those who lived even in the immediate vi
cinity. His Office was not given to him
! through the influence of " electioneering,
because he never asked any man for his
vote. He was first elected because he ex-
hibited the executive side of such a legal
mind that the people nominated and
elected him. He soon gained the name OF
the Hard Justice" and every lawyer in
Arkansas referred to his decisions His
! rulings were never reversed by higher
Courts. He showed no sentiment in de-
cision. Some time ago a woman charged
with misdemeanor was arraigned before
him. "The old man seems more than ever
unsteady" remarked lawyer, as the mag
I. istrate took his seat.
Il am not well to-day" said the Judge,
turning to the lawyers, and any cases that
you may have you will please dispatch
them to the best and quickest of your
ability"
Everyone saw that the old man was
unusually feeble and no one thought of a
scheme to prolong discussion, for all the
lawyers had learned to almost reverence
him.
Is this the woman?" asked the Judge.
{" Who is defending her q
have no defense, your Honor" the
woman replied In fact | do not think
! need any, for | am here to confess my
guilt. No man can defend me" and she
looked at the magistrate with a curious
gaze have been arrested on charge
of disturbing the peace, and | am willing
to submit my case. / am dying of con-
sumption, Judge, and | know that any
ruling made by the law can have but little
effect ON me;' and she coughed, hollow
vacant cough, and drew around her an old
black shawl that she wore. The express
sion on the face of the magistrate remained
unchanged, but his eyelids dropped, and
he did not raise them, when the woman
continued:
g As say, no man can defend me- |
am too near that awful approach, to pass
which we know is everlasting death to soul
est promise; | lived with my parents in
Kentucky Wayward and iight-hearted,
| was the admired of all the gay society in
our own neighborhood. \ man came and
professed his love for me. ! don't say this,
Judge, to excite your sympathy. | have
many and many 4 time been before Courts,
but never before spoke OF my past life.
" ! speak Of it now because | know this
is the las. Court on earth before which |
shall he arraigned was fifteen years old
when | fell in love with the man. Ny
father said he was bad, but | loved him.
He came again and again and when my
father said he should come no more, | ran
away and married him. Ny father said
| should never come home again. | had
always been his pride and had loved him
so dearly, but he said ! must never again
come to his home My husband became
addicted to drink He abused me- |
wrote to my father, asking him to let me
come home but the answer was, / do not
know YOU My husband died. Homeless,
and wretched, and with my little boy. |
went out into the world. My child died,
and ] bowed down and wept over pau
per's grave. | wrote to my father again,
but the answer was, / know not those who
disobey my commandments turned
away from the letter hardened. / en-
braced sin. rushed madly into vice.
! was times and times again arrested. Now
| am here"
Several lawyers rushed forward. 4
crimson tide flowed from her lips They
leaned her lileless head back against the
chair. The old magistrate had not raised
his eyes Good heavens" said a lawyer,
"he is deadw The woman was his daIigh-
ter The Tid-Bit