The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1888-11-21
During the course of the afternoon we

| During the course of the afternoon we
We're informed that our counsel wished to
see us, and upon issuing forth from our
cells. we found him seated on the floor of
the corridor in position. which for hum
beness. would have put Uriah Heep to the
blush. Our consultation began by his in
| forming us that as our counsel. all cOnimu
nicatiOns between us would be considered
confidential. At his request we gave him
a true statement OF the facts of the case.
and he then asked us if we had any cash. or
friends in the vicinity from whom we could
| procure any. On being informed that our
| financial resources were at low ebb, and
that there was no possibility of our making
a raise, he inquired if we had plant"
[ failed to comprehend his meaning as |
| had not then been initiated into the mys-
| teries OF the VOlapuk. One of my com
| paniOnS told me that plant meant buried
| booty, and also informed our counsel that
| we had none. On learning this our cOun-
| sci remarked that our case had a decidedly
bad look. but said he. as if to re-assure us,
well fight 'em." He then took his de-
parture having promised to call upon us
the following day. He neglected to do So
nor did we see him again. until brought to
court for trial, although we repeatedly sent
| for him. Our anxiety III the meantime can
| NC UCSI IllldSlHcu ny tIltSC WIN LAW UCOH
| similarly situated. We had but six days in
which to prepare for trial on charge for
which. if convicted. it was optional with
the judge to fix the penalty anywhere from
four to twenty years. The days passed
with wonderful rapidity, until the day pre-
| ceding the one fixed upon for our trial,
and still our counsel, He cOmetn not"
The question then forced upon us was:
What had we best do to somewhat mitigate
| the calamity we were so SUUn to face? De-
Spairing of any relief from The source from
which we had legal right to expect it, we
sent for the prosecuting attorney. whose
assistant Immediately waited upon us and
relieved us of considerable anxiety by pro-
posing to quash one Indictment provided
| that we plead guilty to the other. Situated
| as we were. we could not do otherwise than
gladly accept the proposition. Upon beng
conducted into court the following morning,
we were placed within the dock where we
withdrew our former pleas. and ere about
| to enter plea of guilty to the last indict-
ment. when we were interrupted by our
counsel rushing suddenly and eXcitedly
upon the scene. eXclaiming in stentOran
tones, Hold on! boys. we'll fight em.'' 1t
was with much difficulty that we could re-
| stra II one of our number (whO is of a pu-
giistic tendency from the commission
of a gross contempt. of court, as he
was apparently very eager to accommodate
our Jealous counsel with variety of fight
ing which would by no means be considered
legal warfare After order had been re-
stored we entered plea of guilty. were
sentenced, and brought back to Jail, where.
in the course of an hour, we were waited
upon by our undiSlnayed counsel who was
armed with formidable looking document
to which he desired us to append our auto
graphs. On examination it proved to be
document, certifying to the fact that he
had defended us. and emitting him to COM
pensatiOn for so doing. Although l had
then become full fledged convict. | still
had conscientious scruples against doing
that which knew to be wrong. and was
about to refuse my signature. when one of
my comrades reminded me that. 'Charty
cOveretE multitude of SINS" and l re-
Tented, thus ending connection with our
counsel. | have thus without the least eX-
aggeratOn. described the mode of our de-
Tense. for which the state had to pay, and
clearly demonstrated who was the beneti-
ciary in this case. as in many others. NY
object in so doing has not been for the pur-
pose OF parading my case before our read
erS nor for the qualification of spite against
class whose methods | have endeavOred
to portray in an impartial manner, but it is
done in hopes of calling the attention of
those whose duty it is to apply the remedy.
to all existing condition of affairs which
should be no longer tolerated.
| TAMMANY.
He Would Not Taxa IT.