West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-08-31
"DE VALLEY AN DE SHAD-
DER
i"'i H. s. Edwards.
s1essea3 9'Iv.lIi~ 90 :

~ "No - etAeAJ N~-s -~
sonyille was brisk. As Jacksonville
is brisk only during the court week,
when the lawyers from Macon ride
down to look after the warehouse
mems mortgages, and the leading
attorneys from the adjoining coun-
ties run over to look after the Ma
con lawyers and attend to the Grim.
inal docket, it may he inferred that
court was in session.
About the large, white, square
frame building with its green blinds
and three entrances, little groups of
farmers were gathered and many
unhitched teams were visible. With
in the one great room that takes up
the whole Of the first floor, and from
which ascend steps to the various
county offices above, were the usual
court house habitues,-jurors who
hope in vain to "get off" and citi-
zens OF limited income who yet hope
to "get on." In front of the door
was the judges elevated desk, with
the clerk lower down, whose feet
rested in a chair while his mouth
twisted a tooth pick. The midday
meal had just ended, and the court
had not reentered. To the right
and left were the jury benches. The
front half Of the room was devoted
to the Bar, which by courtesy had
included all leading citizens, and
the rear to negroes and the promis-
cuous crowd on curiosity bent.
Apparently there was nothing ex
citing on hand just then, though a
murder trial had been interrupted
by temporary adjournment. But
the defendant was negro, and n
negro murderer is not novelty.
While the court was assembling, the
curious might have noted the pris-
oner's points. His face, if it had
any marked characteristics, was
noted chiefly for its singularly mex
pressive lines, and his attitude was
one of supreme Indifference. His
stout, heavy frame was clad in a
common jean suit stained with
months of wear, and his kinky hair
was literally sprinkled over with
gray. He sat quietly in his place,
not even affecting stolidity, but suf-
fering his eyes to roam from face to
face as the genial conversation drift
ed about in the group around him.
He was evidently not impressed by
any sense of peril, though when the
court had adjourned, a clear case of
murder had .beehii proved against
him, ard only his statement and the
argument renamed.
Slowly the court assembled. The
prisoners counsel had introduced
no testimony. A man had been
stabbed by his client. had fallen
dead, his hand clasped over the
wound; and from beneath this hand
when convulsively loosened, knife
had dropped, which the defendants
wife seized and concealed. This had
been proved by the States wit
nesses. sEs
The prisoner took the stand to
make his statement. He declared
emphaticaily that, the deceased, knife
in hand, had assaulted him and that
he had killed him in self-defense;
that the knife which fell from the
relaxing hand was the dead mans.
He told the story simply, and as he
began it a tall, thick-set gentleman
in a gray suit, with iron-gray hair,
and walking with the aid of a stout
stick, entered the room and stood
silent by the dOor,-heard him thro'
losing never word. As the pris-
oner resumed his seat the new conner
entered within the rail. He shook
hands gravely with several of the
older lawyers, and took the hand
that the court extended over the
desk. Then he, turned and, to the
astonishment of every one, shook
hands with the defendant, into whose
face light had suddenly dawned,
which resolved itself into q broad,
silent grin. This done, the old gen
tleman seated himself near the de-
fendant's lawyer, and, resting his
hand upon his massivecane, listened
attentiyelyto-the speech. -
The speaker was not verbose. He
rapidly summed up, and laid his
case before the jury in its best light.
Really there was not a great deal to
say, and he soon reached his pero-
ration. He pictured the blasted
home Of the poor negro, his wife and
babe deprived of his labor, and
dwelt long upon the good name ne
had always borne. In the midst of
the most eloquent periods, wherein
he referred to the prisoner sitting
before you, gentlemen Of the jury,
broken hearted and borne down by
the weightof this horrible tradegy,"
he turned and extended his hand to
where his client sat. A sight met
his glance that sent the flush of con-
fusion to his face and started rip
pie of laughter around the room,
The "broken-hearted' was calmly
munching away on an enormous
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