The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-08-07

Veres he would pick up Two
pieces of these coins from the pile and
lay them down, one on top OF the
other in a stack before the jury as one
fact against my client on which he
wishes the jury to convict. He began
making these piles about four feet
from the jury in line straight out
from the centre of the first bench OF
six, approaching them with the piles
as they increased, taking as his guide
the gentleman who occupied the CEN
trail position in the box and who, /
afterwards learned, was the forman OF
the panel. AS he would make good
point against my client down would
go two pieces of coin in the row to
make milepost and the finish of a
fine quarter das. of eloaueuca, argu-
ment anG TACT. He continued this
practice as he Waved up in his at,
tack on the rights and noerties of my
client until he had laid with firm
basis twenty-five of these guiding
stars of justice, consuming the whole
heap of coin which faced me and
Bertha Ontiveres with terrible
effect, and as the faces of the
jury kaleidoscoped its effect before me,
L felt that as innocent as fair Bertha
was and as ignorant as she was of
what was going on, except from the
gesticulation that her chances of be-
ing relieved from present embarrass-
ments and returned to her haunts OF
peace, and find solace if not re-
claim her erring husband across the
border, were growing beautifully less,
and would certainly disastrously ter
inmate unless something mighty was
done. In fact, a performance similar
to that OF Aeneas, when he took the
aged Anchises upon his back and car
ried him from the burning flames OF
Troy, had to come off, and that mighty
quick, or there would surely be one
less Mexican lady of rank in this
country. The governments counsel
laid down his last pile of counterfeits,
aforesaid, with terrific effect, gave a
sarcastic looF at me and the prisoner
and made the air black and blue in
alternate sebtions with the denuncia-
tions of crime, the rascality and worth
lessness of the Mexicans generally and
the duty of all good men to enforce
the laws (whether the facts justified it
or not). The jury tossed and swayed
under this influence like Vesuvius in
active operation. / myself drew down
in my chair and tried to double up in
rag fashion and wished I was not
there, picking strawberries or some
other good place. Bertha laughed in
ignorance of the scene and thought
the governments counsel was praising
her in an unknown tongue, for really
she did not understand a word Of
what was going on though Judge
Maxey is good man and will give
you an interpreter for most anything
yet he will never allow the proceed
ings of his court to stop that the
speeches of prisoners own counsel OF
that of the governments may be in
terpreted to him for understandings
sake alone. In this awful closing
scene this good judge hung his head
and felt sorry for me and 1 know
there was also good place
in his heart for my client. But
finally the curtain fell but long
after 1 wanted it to and all was peace
and calm, the governments counsel
taking his seat and quietly awaiting
the result. Though terribly battered
and put at much disadvantage 1 was
still there and in the ring. And if
there is one thing in the world about
me in defense of my clients 1 will
speak even if don't say anything.
Not rising Immediately on the ros-
trum the judge in quiet, dignifed
way said ( as if to brace me up, and l
did feel much better for what he said,
because 1 understood it as an injunc-
ton that ought to speak, for l knew
that would have fair shake if
did, as this judge is noted for fair
play among the barr. "Has the de-
fendant's counsel anything to say?"
l Immediately sprang to my feet and
said as calmly as could: eyes, your
honor" 1 took my position in front
OF the jury on the same spot where
the governments counsel had SO gal
lantly fought Immediately before.
would not look down on these mate
rialized facts two dozen in number in
tho shape of staked counterfeits coins
but avoided them as much as posi-
BILE. By this time 1 had
gotten my working fiji on, and a good
Whit of fresh air stole in the open
east window near where I stooc, and
I opened up in my best style. The
boys say l made the fur fly. do not
know what 1 did. In never thought
of myself from the time commenced
until it was over. My whole soul was
wrapped up in the innocence of my
,lient, and the belief that l was Just
at that particular moment the only one
to demonstrate it to these twelve good
men wanting to do right before me. l
held the fort for about an hour, and
when l got through l do not know
how many of these threatening fact
coins were in position or even in the
house from the way l moved and
stamped about. Ny intention was TO