The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-01-23
A STRA,a,GE EXPERIENCE.

| had Just been successful in defend
inc one prisoner. and was about to
pass out of the courtroom, when my
attention was arrested by the striking
face of another one in the larger dock.
The look of which | have spoken as
striking was really indescribable. His
eyes shone like the flashing of fire
in the darkness; his skin had death
like pallor; his lips We're thin and tight
" compressed.
The impression one had in looking
AT him was of something unnatural and
uncanny
He beckoned me to the dock, stated
that he had been arrested for the
larceny of a horse and carriage, pro-
tested that he had no knowledge of hav-
ing taken them-that he woke to con-
sciousness in jail, and that what pre-
ceded this was blank to him.
He begged me to undertake his de-
Tense. and gave me the address of his
wife, saying that she would pay my fee
and assist me in procuring witnesses
Oh his behalf.
| obtained an adjournment until the
next day, and went TO see his wife, who
told me that he was subject to epileptic
fits, and not entirely sound in mind;
but that as they had only recently re-
moved to the city, she could not pro-
duce medical evidence of his condition,
nor even evidence of good character.
She also said that her own health
was such that she could not 90 upon
the stand to testify, but that their
Il y.-bn fban of cohn,1
would do so.
Feeling that the lookout for my
client was a rather gloomy one, / went
to my Office the next morning, where |
was met, promptly at the appointed
time, by Mrs. Higgins and her
daughter.
When | cast my eyes upon the latter
] was almost stupefied with amazement
and delight.
She was a Girl of siXteen-the most
beautiful being | had ever beheld. If
her fathers face had in it something
demoniac, hers was beautiful enough to
be almost angelic.
Her voice was low and sweet. her
accent perfect, and her whole manner
full of the charm of intelligence and re-
tincment.
The prosecuting attorney proved that
the prisoner had been arrested while
driving away with a horse and carriage,
the property of a well-known physician;
that he was at the time slightly under
the influence of liquor but was APP
parently entirely rational, and claimed
that the property belonged to him.
In answer to this overwhelming
Dr .,,s:.l,nnD h,I 60 ,lonD.I
wholly upon the beauty of the prison
er's daughter and the apparently i'm
probable story she was about to tell.
After 4 brief address to the jury, in
tended to dispel the prejudice raised bv
the evidence for the prosecution,
called upon my witness.
When, in response, Lille Higgins ap-
peared in the witness-boX, | saw that
all the jurors gave her look of adj
miration, aud heaved an involuntary
sigh at her hard fate in being the
daughter of criminal.
As | looked at her standing there, her
face rosy with shame, and her large,
lustr Gus eyes shining with unshed
tears, it took all my reason and resolu-
tion to keep from falling madly in love
with her.
In her low, sweet voice, tremulous
with suppressed grief, she said that for
some wears her father had been subject
TO epileptic fits, occurring with more or
less frequency and violence, and leav-
ing him after the paroXysm had passed.
in a condition of only partial conscious
sometimes for a few hours, some
times for several days during which
time he was subject to delusions, and
was not responsible for his acts.
Sometimes in this state he had beaten
her mamma and herself Sometimes
he had threatened their lives.
For three days he had been absent
from home She had visited all the
hospitals in search of him, but did not
dream until they had learned the fact
from me, that he could be in Jail,
charged with this awful crime
,'Oh, sir she cried, in pitiful be-
seeching tones, turning to the Judge,
''haye pity on him. If he took the
horse and carriage. he did not know
what he was doing"
Her voice had been growing more
and more tremulous, and at this point
she quite broke down and poured forth
a flood of tears.
looked at the jurymen and saw that
they were deeply affected-most of
them indeed being touched even to
tears.
The prosecuting attorney declined to
croSs-eNamine. and when | announced
that had no more witnesses, proposed
to submit the case to the jury without
argument-an offer which l gladly ac-
eepted.
To my surprise. the judge delivered
no charge. The jury, without leaving
their seats, found verdict of not
guilty.
| stepped to the dock to congratulate
my client, but he drew back with look
OF horror in his eyessand said, in ae-
cents of fierce intensity, yet in a voice
scarcely more than n whisper.
Il know you, sir; have seen your
cunning. and l have plainly read in
your face the fact that you have learned
| my secret"
This strange behavior would have
convinced me of the girls truthfu!ness,
| if | had before doubted it, for saw by
| the CLEAN of his eyes, as well as from
l his words that he was the victim of in