Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-08-08

the night-porier upon the floor.
"'Now open the SAFE said tb,
robber.
"The cashier, frightened at the fat
so surely before him if he refused
decided to open the safe, hoping fo
an opportunity to overpowor thu
rufiian; but when il was open, thu
robber quietly ordered him to enteI
the closet. This he was also compelled
to do. The closet was so small that {
person could not turn round in it
otherwise he would have pushed oper
the door and grappled with the robbel
when he heard him drop the revolver
which he was obliged to do to locl
the door. He heard the robber al
the safe, but in few minutes became
unconscious from lack of air, and
knew nothing more until his recovery
This story created great excite
ment, the more so from the fact that
the cashiers description was almos,
an exact one of Colonel Coventry
one of the bank directors The col
onel had been an officer in the Grim.
can War, and lost his left forearm in
the service. The cashiers story was
corroborated by finding blood upon
the carpet of the night-porter's room,
and it was found by experiment, that
a revolver discharged therein could
not be heard in the Office above. Two
men informed the reporter that they
had seen Colonel Coventry walking
by the bank at halfpast eight in the
evening of the murder. This evil
dence was sufficient to cause his ar
rest, and he was placed in Jail.
CAS- soon as | heard the cashier s
story determined to defend Colonel
Coventry, for saw an opportunity to
prove his innocence and make rep
utation for myself. | ordered Il hack,
and driving to the Jail, found the
colonel consulting his lawyers. |
waited till they had departed, then
stated my reasons for coming. He
looked at me in surprise, and smiling,
said that he had older and more ex-
perienced lawyers.
"What hope do they give you p
| asked
"He blushed redly, and said. in an
angry tone, They say the evidence is
strong against me, and act as if they
believed me guilty; but the rascals
are smart
Colonel | said, they, as well as
all who read the papers, do believe
YOU guilty; but | know you are inno-
cent, and what is more, can prove
it.
Prove it?' said the colonel.
But howl'
If you will promise to give me
the case, if you are satisfied with my
theory, | will tell it to you, Colonel
Coventry
"'Of course, will give you the
case if you can prove me innocent.
81 then related my plans of defence
and when had finished the colonel
shook me joyfully by the hand and,
God bless you, my boy You will
save me from the gallows!
"He discharged the other lawyers,
who cheerfully informed him that he
would be hanged any way; that he
had no chance whatever with that
young upstart for council, and deserv-
ed hanging for having him.
II demanded an immediate trial,
for which the Crown was entirely
ready. As you remember, the case
was the topic of the day, and Colonel
Coventry was thought crazy, the
strongest proof being the fact that he
had engaged me to defend him. |
received many cut from the papers,
and altogether, my name became very
well known, though not in an envia-
bic connection.
81 enjoyed it all, confident in the
brilliant but simple defense ] was to
make. | knew that the reaction
would be powerful, and those who
now revled and sneered at me would,
ere long, be sounding my praises.
"When look back on that time |
am surprised that no one thought of
the defense ! was to make ; but then
it is often the simplest points that are
overlooked in the haste to follow an
unreasonable clue, whose onl y recon-
mendation sometimes is its ingenuity.
"The trial came on; the Crown
first brought forward the two men
who swore TO seeing Coventry walk
ing by the bank at half past eight
o'clock on the night Of the murder.
Then evidence was brought to show
that the colonel, although rich man,
was Just at that time in need of ready
money to complete speculation in
which he was engaged. The last and
strongest witness was Mr.. Charles
Brand, the cashier, who testified to
the description of his assailant, which
correspondent to that Of my client,
Al -