The Dawson journal., 1886-06-10
A BRAVE GIRL.
She C0mpels Her lover, Who is Ae.
cused of Larceny, to Stand Tria..


There was a romantic trial il
Wilmington yesterday, says the
: Philadelphia Press, when Stephen
ii. Burleigh,of this city,was tut in
the prisoners dock to answer the
charge of larceny, and the big
court house in little Delaware's s
metropolis has not held such an
interested audience for a long
time as that which sat and listen
ed to Miss Nettie Spencer, a pref
ty Philadelphia girl, bravely testi-
fy to the good character of the
man to whom she is engaged.
! Connected with the trial is a pet
ty story of womanly frmness and
affection. Burleigh was acquitted
and will marry Miss Spencer.
She had insisted upon his stand
ing trial and clearing his name
before he could claim her hand.
Burleigh is very gentlemanly
looking young man, rather fine
looking. Early last winter he
visited Wilmington, and in saloon
made the acquaintance OF s. Lloyd
Boldly, a young man of that city,
and two or three others. Shortly
after they had separated Boldly
discovered that his watch was
missing and had the party arrest
ed. They were all searched care
fully, but the missing timepiece
was not discovered, and they were
released. A few days later Bur-
leigh was arrested in this city
while trying to pawn the watch at
Tenth and Parish streets. He
was taken to Wilmington and
held in 5000 bail for court.
Burleigh claimed in defense
that he had procured the watch , {
a man at the railroad station in
this city in trade for cheap one
he carried and $S in cash. The
defense was accepted bv Mr.. Bod
dy, who, after recovering the
watch, was willing to withdraw
the suit. When the fact reached
the ears of Miss Spencer, Bur
leigh's fance, she insisted that the
case should be heard in court, and
that her lover must have q trial
and acQuittal before he could
claim her hand. She implicitly
believed in his innocence, but in
sisted upon the charge against
him being cleared away in the
courts.
To face trial with a jury of
strange men, and in case Of con-
viction the whipping-post and tor
turesome pillory, was the only
method Of securing the girl to
whom he was engaged. He ac-
cepted the proposition, and the
jury, after short deliberation in
the face of strong circumstantial
evidence, brought in verdict of
not guilty.
Miss Spencer attended the trial
and testified to the prisoners
good character, and her insinuat-
ingly sweet voice, coupled with
the earnest anxiety for her lover,
completely won the judge and
the jury. The bride-elect is u
very pretty brunette, with deep
brown eyes and rich complexion.
She was very neatly and becom-
ingly costumed. and as she gave
her testimony in the case which
was to decide her future she pre-
sented lovely picture.
TIE gallant chief justice and
his bachelor associates, all digni-
fed and gray-haired, beamed adj
miringly upon the pretty woman,
ard the Attorney-General was al
SO attracted by her pleasing pres
ence and lnterrogated her in the
mildest tones.
When the jury announced its
verdict there was an outburst of
applause in the court room and
every eye was turned upon Miss
Spencer as she rejoined her lover.
The bravery of the girl in insist
ing upon trial, her graceful
bearing and expressed anxiety,
perhaps had more to do with the
rcquittal of her betrothed than