The Irish standard., 1889-04-06
A MOMENT OF ANGER
The History of MI. and Mrs. Brown
lows Quarrel.
BY ROBERT HOTE.
CHAPTER vi.

ONS~e AZ LIZ 4ical 1IOt ctf!J WlLIcSSSS WHOM ne
wished to have heard il his behalf Mr.
BroWnlow quietly responded that tne,9
We're none; be lad told his story, that was
sufficient Tor him
III you have any thing to say to the Jury,
men, said the Judge, addressing the pris.
oner ouce more, "you have the opportunity
TO 40 so no,T.''
Mr.. Brown!oH''s address was brief: Seen
tlenlen Of the jury said he, "the hazard o.
drawing by !ol has gathered upon your
bench Twelve citizens strangers 20 each
other. Belonging 10 the most diverse CLASSES
and professions, each one occupied with auy
thing rather than criminal psychology, and
badly prepared, undoubtedly, t., discern the
brue from the false or to draw the reality
from the mist OF the clever sophistries OF
the public prosecution. We'll drilled as it is,
and wearing as it does the Judicial apparel
which the prosecution rentiCrs solemn III
order to strike with better effect upon your
iulag ination. You would, therefore, be very
excusable ii it should sometimes occur toat
you acquiu criminals and condemn the lnEo-
cent. But the affair which is to-day sub
mitted to you is too simple for your con-
science to be led astray, and you will need
70 make no great effort Of good common
sense to. set aside an accusation IN Which
the first element Of likelihood is lacking.
You ara asked to declare tnab l have killed
my wife, yet my prosecutors have foundlt an
inpossibility to present any clear evidence
that my wife WAS the victim Of NY violence
They have, it is true declared that GER
tain corpse found IN the river in an advanced
state OF decomposition was that of Mrs.
Brownlow, but when you consider the mo-
tives that would lead tbs, family Of Mrs.
.BroWnloW, prejudicea as they are, to iden-
tify these remains as her body, you need
not think long before you decide that such
evidence is wholly Enthusiastically. But
even if it should prove true that tho body
thus found was that of Mrs. Brownlow,
there is still not particle Of evidence
worthy q moments consideration which
shows that ! in any way Was responsible for
her death. AS q matter Of fact, her death is
uncertain, SO chat if should be inclined to
marry again to-day no minister Or wise JUS
slice or anybody having any authority to per
form the ceremony would dare tc do SO, for
no one could prove me TO be Il widower.
'sEere is u contradiction which will not
escape your wisdom. / beg Of you, there,
fore, to send me- promptly about my bust
ness and go back to your own
This discourse was excseding'Y awkward;
it WIS iull OF - contemptuous condesceuslon
for the institution OF TIE jury, q contempt
which the accused would have done better
to tlissinuats. The public prosecutor pref
tied by t,lis mistake: he took good care to
emphasize it in his reply to tho jury which
was d foccible resume Of all this testimony
aud an earnest appeal to the juryznen not 1o
be Led astray by anS' idea thattlle defendant
was not III his right mind.
'W1y," lie said, sis it that q wealthy man
should deliberately refuse, 20 employ coun-
sci in his defense, whose whole course has
nsen contrary to WHAT would ne taken by
most sensible men! Why has he ':one 80?
Because the weight Of evidence IS SO ire
mentous THAT he knows there ii 10 escape
from it, bus ms only chance fol Life. which
he, as ell men, holds, dear, is TO convey the
IN preston that he is INSANE; but up to this
time there has been nothing in the career OF
the; defendant winch; has led any one to sup
pose tn;At his ,1ind was not Els well balanced
as that CT any other member Of this COM
ruurity.n
The gary finally retired about iouG O'Clock
In the afternoon, What were the circun-
stances thn5 bad most weight upon their
minds, and what was The course Of their de.
alterations it y7cn]} be naunifesrly Improper
and. IS n fact. impossible SO say. The
secrets Of ti,e jury-roo'n are kept profound-
~ sacred in almost al cases It was cec-
ssi.lly SO III thas. The audience in the court
rooln remained foE nearly two ;Nours with
cut stirring except ~ indulge III converse.
tioa. When it was nearly six O'Clock word
was s.71lt in from 5le jurJ-roon to request
instruction from the court upon e. point reid
tive to the value Of t,lrcuIns IautlaI evidence
aud this evidence Of the relatives of tue de-
ceased. When the instruction that had
heen asked for had been given there YVES
another wait and after the room had grown
dark and the janitor had lighted the gas,
many Of the spectators went.out one after
another believing that the verdict would
not be reached that ght. The more they
waited the more certain il seemed that
disagreement would be the result. And
yet when the jury first went out it was the
universal opinion chat a verdict OF guilty
would be recorded. At half-past eight a
few loungers in the COURTROOM were
startled FROM their ennui by the appearance
OF the court crier, who came in to announce
that the jury were ready to return This
Judge. who had been chatting in the con-
sailing room with several lawyers, returned
to his place on the bench, aud in three min
uues the courtroom was crowded again 10
its utmost capacity. Not many OF the fash
ionabla people vlo had been there during
the trial were present, but their absence
was more than made up by others who had
struggled i'll vain for an opportunity to hear
the testimony. The defendant was brought
in from room down stairs where he had
been waiting alone and was placed again at
the bar. The Jurymen fled in, led by az
officer Of the court, and took their places up.
on the bench.
; Mr.. Brownlow looked at their faces in.
tently as they passed, but III none Of them
could he discern hint Of what was to come.
When all had been seated and the roll had
been called, the clerk proceeded to put the
formal questions: "Gentlemen, have you
agreed upon verdict in the case of the de.
fendant at the bar!0
"We have" answered the foreman.
"Gentle what say you, is the de-
tendant guilty or not gultya''
The forenan's face was grave and steady
as he responded: Guilty. as charged in
the Indictment
There was q slight rustic in the court
room as all eyes were turned upon Mr..
Brownlovv. He did not move muscle, but
looked curiuusly from one face to the other
in the jury box, as if wondering what class
and manner Of men they could be who could
arrive at such decision upon the facts as
orecented in Tfa trial There was slight