The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-03-29

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court your punishment would be lighter
If you decide 20 do that you may let me
know in the courtroom. At all events
| shall leave no stone unturned to help
you. l must go now
The prisoners head hung down and
and he was in deep thought for q mo-
ment Then his features grew tender
as he moved nearer the window and
saw woman coming across the court
yard toward the Jail leading little boy
by the hand. When she got to the win
dow she lifted the boy up in her arms.
''IIere l am Jennie!' called out the
prisoner. 81 can see you, but you can't
see me back here in the shade"
Have you had any breakfast" she
asked, tremblingly.
Eyes, and have eaten heartily. You
told me you would find out whether our
neighbors believed me guilty; did you
do it?''
The wife lowered her head and was
silent.
Jennie, did you hear me?''
"Sone do believe it, and the others
won't speak to me about it.
He was silent, and the panied look
that was settling on his face deepened.
Jennie, now go to your seat in the
courtroom before the crowd comes.
They will take me there as soon as the
court opens"
AS his wife walked away he rose on
tiptoeS to sec her.
God knows l have done all / could to
teach my boy to be honest he muir
INJURED to himself. IF they were to con-
vict me to-day what a lesson it would be
to him! As he grew up he would learn
that his father was convict. No; they
will not condemn me. | shall speak to
the jury, my words shall convince them
if all else fails"
A few moments later he sat on the
prisoners bench and scanned the faces
of the jurors who had been chosen.
They looked like honest feeling men,
men who, like himself, had wives, per-
hapS, aud children. His face showed
that he had not lost hope, even while
the attorney for the prosecution was
citing the strong circumstantial evidence
against him. But the accused could not
catch the eyes of the jurymen. They
had looks for none save the speaker.
When the prosecuting attorney took
his seat, there was a craning of ncclls
over the vast crowd to catch view Of
the prisoner. lie wondered why they
were looking at him so ixedly and so
pityingly. He looked at his wife; she
was regarding him with such a look of
hopeless misery that his heart sank
within him. He saw his lawyer move
over to her and whisper in her ear. She
nodded her head, and then they both
came to him.
''There is not chance left said the
lawyer. Judge, jury and the spectators
are against us. If you will plead guilty
your punishment will be lighter. bring
your wife to plead with YOU
''Do it, John said she, sobbing in
answer to his startled glance of inquiry.
81 know you are innocent, but the law
yer knows best what you ought to do"
"Confcss that my boy is the son of a
felon, that you are the wife of convict?
| will not do it. 60 back to your seats.
Let me speak to the jury
The lawyer employed by the defend
ant rose and made weak argument.
Nothing he said could rcfute the evil
dence advanced by the prosecution. lie
sat down. Again the eyes of all save
the jury were cast upon the accused,
bearing looks pregnant with sympathy.
Some looked at the pale-faced woman
and the little boy, and sadly shook their
heads.
"Ycs,'' said the Judge, "the prisoner
is entitled to make a statement
The voice of the prisoner was very
when he begun to speak. He
said that he hoped all would pardon his
embarra inasmuch as he had
never spoken in public before. He went
on plaintively to tell about how he was
at work in the room from which the
money was stolen. How he had left his
coat in the hall. He could not rcmem-
Der leaving the room but once and that
was to go to the we'll in the yard to get
a drink of water. He thought that some
one had entered while he was out, had
taken the money and put the empty
purse in his coat pocket. The money
he had changed was some that he had
been saving for several years for fear
that he might be taken sick and not be
able to earn support. lie had not told
his wife of the savings. lie seemed to
want to say more, but his voice broke
down and he began to shed tears.
The jury withdrew to private room
to make up their verdict, after the Judge
had charged them as to their duty. They
shut themselves in, and the foreman
handed each juryman a small slip of pa
per and told them to write the word
guilty" or the words mot guilty"
When all had written, he took up the
slips in hat. After he read them all,
he said:
at is unanimous. Every ticket con-
tains but single word"
They slowly returned to the courtroom
and refilled the twelve chairs made va
cant by their withdrawal. The fore
man stood up and announced that they
had found the prisoner guilty.
The prisoner had the eyes of the
whole room. A wild, haunted look, in
which lay the shadow of strange, sud-
den determination came into his face
and eyes. He thrust his hand into the
breast of his coat and held it there.
Manv thOupht his hand was nraSSed