The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-12-05
HIS OWN DEFENSE,

"Your honor" cried Lawyer Lang,
springing to his feet, your honor, before
you pass on this request, should like to
make statement myself"
"What is it, Mr.. Lang?" asked the Judge.
cts just this" said Mr.. Lang with
something more than his usual acerbity;
you remember of course that when this
man, Cephas Love, was first brought to
trial he was without counsel, that he re-
fused to secure any, and that you therefore
peremptorily appointed me as such. The
appointment was useless. for the defendant
has absolutely and Internationally refused
to say Il word to me concerning his case.
81 wish it to be distinctly understood,
however, that this silence Of the defendants
has been maintained in the face of my most
diligent efforts to break down his reserve,
for while first accepted your honor's in.
junction pcrfunctorily, ended by becom.
ing deeply interested III what is certainly a
unique caSe-so far as my practice goes.
What | wish to state with particular stress
is that anu absolutely and entirely ignor-
ant of the nature of the statement which
Mr.. Love has asked permission to make.
IN fact, sir, all | can officially claim to
know of this man is that on the 18th Of
this month of August, 1890, he was found
in the very act of throttling another man
to death at No. SOB Pine street: that he
was arrested in lagrante delictu by officer
Thomson, and that he has been confined in
the city prison ever since ~-fnTseesss;a -eEe
Il client of mine than he is your honor, and
it would be gross misuse of terms to style
him a defendant"
As Mr. Lang sat down the man referred
to as Cephas Love shook hands with him
cordially, and repeated his request for a
hearing.
1T is Il rather unusual proceeding at
this stage of the tri " said the judge, ''for
Il person in your position TO make a state
ment, but the whole proceedings in this
case have been unusual. Moreover | have
not the right to deny you. Do yOu wish
your statement to appear as evidcuce?"
eyes, sir.'
"Eale your place on the witness stand
then and be sworn"
He repeated the clerks humble tumble
of words with slow emphasis, and laid an
information upon the concluding words,
$50 help me, God, that gave them rev.
crcntial effect not often heard in that court
room.
The sketch which the artist of morning
paper was at this moment making showed
tiny, neat man, sitting prinlly with
crossed legs and smoothing out the folds
of Il red silk handkerchief spread over his
knees. His hands, face and scalp were Of
a false ruddincss that was caused by net
work Of small veins in the skin, and that
was made all the more vivid by the CON
trast of Il fringe of fax white hair and two
patches of close trimmed whiskers that lay
81,
His eyes were light blue and moist, his liDs
thin and straight, AMI the rest of his feat
ures ordinary and inexpensive. He was
dressed in u suit of dark gray clothes, and
looked something between an upper ser
want and Il small lawyer There had been
even more than the usual interest felt in
the case, the court room was crowded, and
when the prisoner begun there was a
strained attention to hear what he had to
say.
'My name is correctly given on the docu-
ments in the case, | believe" he began, "bc.
sides which it has been on the city direc-
tory for the past thirty-twO years. 1t i.
Cephas Clavering Love, although he mid
die name is very seldom used. / am G.
years of age, and was born at Memphis,
Tenn, on the 18th CT April 1921 | came
to san Francisco thirty-thrCe years come
next Christmas eve, and for twenty-One
years thereafter YVES Il clerk for the law
firm of Iiittridgc & Shaw, rs believe your
honor well knows. For tie past twelve
years | have been engaged in the law sta.
tionery department of MessTs. Rocker G.
Co. These gentlemen, together with many
Others understand | have the right tc
summon as witnesses to testify as to my
general good character, but | shall put
none of them to this inconvenicnce"-
proceed, Mr.. Love-" said the Judge, for
the witness had stopped, and was nervous
ly rubbing the palms of his small, withered
hand, with his handkerchief.
''Than.l you, your honor" said the old
man; Ppm not used to making long
speeches. All need further say in any
preliminary way about myself is that am
IL widower, with one married daughter
living in Norfolk, Va; that am Il member
of Dr.. Wallis church; that I live temper
ately, drinking but little and smoking
less; that | am quiet, law respecting, God
fearing old man. Yet sit here today in
this court murderer"
"Your honor" exclaimed Mr.. Lang.
once more springlng to his feet, 81 must
insist that the witness be Instructed
Your honor knows that plea of not
guilty was entered in the court of eXamna-
ton, and II similar plea has been formally
entered in this court of arraignment. This
man is on trial; he has not been convicted,
and l call upon your honor to instruct the
witness that he must not use such terms
of self accusation, rs well as to inform the
jury that they pay no attention to the wild
words of the witness"
THE witness is thoroughly conversant
with legal practices, believe, Mr.. Lang"
said the judge, ''and fully appreciates the
gravity Of his position and the necessity
for carefully weighing what he has to say.
Nevertheless, if
excuse me, your honor, srNd the old
man Love, gently stretching out q some
what shaky hand toward the Judge; you
need not caution me, your honor. am,
as you say thoroughly aware of the gray
ity of my worls-and position. What
say is simply the truth, and the truth can
injure no one. am murderer, and
purpose telling the story of my crime with
out attempting any palliation.p
There was stir in the court room, and
yelled woman-the mother of the victim,
it was said-lcaned forward in her chair
and sobbed.
Your honor" cried Mr.. Lang, again on
those ready feet of his, there is an at
! tempt at sensationalism here" with vi
nrating forefinger pointed in the direction
| of the sobbing woman, land ask that it