Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-07-31

brother will introduce me to you. The
warden will identity him,
mo, that would not do at all, as l
don't want to be known in this thing
"Send some one with me-"
The president thought moment and
then said he had plan.
"Have you photograph of yourselfa"
he asked.
Mr.. Roberts had one, fortunately.
Come to see me tomorrow"
"With pleasure, said Mr. Roberts, and
he left the office with pleasant good
day."
On Mr.. Roberts coming into the presi-
dents private office on his third call he
was efusively received by that officer,
who said:
"Your brother identified you at once.
I managed the thing very skillfully.
We will give you the $4,000 provided
you tell me your brothers plan of defense,
so can judge of its merit"
at is very simple, but it must be kept
profound secret until the trial. On
that condition only can impart 1t to you,
even if by withholding it should forfeit
your aid. My brothers life depends up
on the secrecy with which the plan of
defense is kept"
81 promise faithfully to keep it not as
my secret, but as the secret of the ac-
cu'sed."
"The night on which the murder was
committed, the chambermaid in my
brothers house turned the hall clock
back one hour, so that she could have
her beau until eleven, instead of
ten o'clock, as usual. The murder was
committed at nine. At that time my
say Just as he entered my room the hall
clock struck ten His house is half o
mile from the scene of the murder. So
there is an alibi established"
"But how did you learn about the
clock2"
81 overheard a remark that led me to
make inquiries among the servants, and
two of them confessed to me that in
the morning before the house was astir,
they set the clock right. They do not sus-
pect that the little incident has anything
to do with the case, and do not mean
that they shall until they are on the
stand giving their evidence"
Capital, " said the president. "Witb
that evidence and with sharp lawyers to
make the most of it, an alibi can be
established without doubt"
"We need able lawyers to take care of
the case, because circumstanti9l evidence
is very strong against my brother"
GA poor lawyer makes a strong case
weak is legal maxim of mine," said
the president as he turned to write o
check for $40, 900.
A clerk soon brought the money, and
the president paid it to Mr.. Roberts, who
expressed profuse thanks and withdrew
to lose no time in retaining firm of
famous lawyers.
The next morning the president learned
from his newspaper that David Roberts
had retained ''as his counsel the we'll
known and able criminal lawyers Breck-
enridge and Bartel, who intimated to the
reporter that the accused had strong
and was pleased with his business ven
ture--it was outside the usual lines, Of
course, but pretty sure to save the COM
pany $40, 900.
On the the day of the trial imperative
business called the president to Western
city. 1t wa there that he learned the
verdict-guilty. He was startled,
stunned, and, at first, he could not
believe that the telegraphic message to
the newspapers was correct, but he ascer-
tanned later in the day that the jury voted
unanimously for conviction on the first
ballot
Mr.. Hazeldt gasped like man who
has been exhausted by running, when he
was convinced that he had wasted $10,.
100. But he breathed more regularly
when the thought confronted him that OF
course there would be new trial
When the opportunity offered, he
procured the New York papers and read
with interest the testimony that was
produced by the defense, and, as he
could find no mention of the two
servant girls, he wondered why they had
not been placed on the witness-stand. At
last he concluded that the attorneys for
the defense had not considered them
reliable and had decided to go to trial
without them and rely on the inability of
the prosecution to fix the crime upon
their client.
When the president reached home he
was informed that a new trial had been
ordered in the case of the Commonwealth
VS.. David Roberts, and, one day meet
ing Mr. Breckenridge in restaurant, he
said to him:
"Why did you not call the servant
girls in that murder casem
"What servant girls2" asked the at
torney.
"Roberts' servants. You know one o
them turned the clock back the night OF
the murder"
"Who told you that story" asked the
attorney, who was becoming interested
Anthony Roberts, David's brother
| You see he came to see us in regard tc
the policy, and l asked him some
| questions about the chances his brother
had of getting off and he said: oh
there's no danger. He can prove an alibi,
and then he told me confdentially that
the servants had mcddled with the clock
and it would prove David was at home
at the time of the murder"
"The defendant never said anything
to me about it." added Mr.. Brecken.
ridge
"That is curious" murmured Mr..
Hazeldt. However, l suppose you
received a good fee. You famous law
yers are all so lucky that way"
Nothing but a bill OF sale for house
and lot in Orange-not worth much
And, come to think of it, didn't know
David Roberts had brother-I never
saw him anyway"
| Mr. Hazeldt reeled as if he had been
struck. The attorney prevented him
from falling, and said, rather briskly:
| q Won lifa ineurap % n, on live too hioh