San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-12-09
HIS. OWN DEFENSE.

louf hOhOi, CIieC Lawyer lIhhS,
springinS to his feet, ''your honor, before
you pass on this request, l should like to
make a statement myself"
what is Il. &r..Iaug?" asked the Judge.
TITS jusb Uhis," said Mr.. Lang with
something more than his usual accrbity;
''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 Us such. The
appointment was useless, for the defendant
has absolutely and Internationally refused
70 say - word 10 me concerning his case.
~ wish it to he 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 perfunctorily, ended By becom-
ing deeply interested in what rs certainly
unique case-so far ms my practice goes.
What l wish to state with particular stress
is that l am 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 thrcttling another man
to death at No. S63 Pine street; that he
was arrested in flagrante delictu by Officer
Thomson, and that he has been confined in
the city prison ever since. He is no more
q client of mine than he is your honor, and
1t would be a gross misuse of terms to style
him q 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.
"Is is a rather unusual proceeding at
this stage of the trial, )" said the judge "for
a person in your position to make q state
ment, but the whole proceedings in this
c2se have been unusual. Moreover [ have
not the right to deny you. Do you wish
your statement to appear as evidsncer
eyes, sir"
'Take your place on the witness stand
then and be sworn."f
He repeated the clerks mumble-jumble
OF words with slow emphasis, and laid an
intonatioa upon the concluding words,
80 help me, God" that gave them a rev.
erential effect not often heard in that court
room.
the sketch which the artist of morning
paper was dt this moment making showed
a tiny, neat man, sitting primly with
crossed legs and smoothing out the folds
of a red silk handkerchief spread over his
knees. His hands, face and scalp were of
a false ruddineSs that was caused by a net
work of small veins in the skin, and that
was made all the more vivid by the con-
trast of a fringe of flax white hair and two
patches of close trimmed whiskers that lay
on each cheek like small powder puffs
His eyes wcre light blue and moist. his lips
thin and straight, and the rest of his feat
ures ordinary and inexpensive. He was
dressed in suit of dark gray clothes, and
looked something between an upper SER
want and small lawyer. There had been
even more than the usual interest felt in
the case. the court room was crowded, and
when the prisoner began there was a
strained attention to hear what he had to
say.
''My name is correctly given on the docu-
ments is the case believe" he began, "be-
sides which is has been on the city direc-
tory for the past thirty-two years. 1t ID
Cephas Clsvering Love, although the mid
die name is very seldom used. ! am GO
years of ,ge, and was born at Memphis,
Tenn, on the 18th of April, 1897. came
10 San Francisco thirty-three years come
next Christmas eve, and for twenty-one
yCtSS OISECtII SI wis u Clerh lOf JI1b law
firm of Kittridge g. Shaw, as believe your
honor we'll knows. For the past twelve
years have been engaged in the law sta
tionery department of Messrs. Rocker Sc
Co. These gentlemen, together with many
others, understand have the right to
summon as witnesses to testify as to my
general good character, but l shall put
none of them to this Inconvenience
Nv cDi1 ha ind fNr
the witness had stopped, and was nervous
ly rubbing the palms of his small. withered
hands with his handkerchief.
''Thanll you, your honor" said the old
man; "Fm not used to making long
speeches. All | need further say in any
preliminary way about myself is that am
a widower, with one married daughter
living in Norfolk, Va; that am u member
of DR.. Wallis church; that I live temper
stely, drinking but little and smoking
less; that am quiet, law respecting, God
fearing old man. Yet sit here today in
this court a murderer"
''Your honor" exclaimed Mr. Lang,
once more springlng to his feet, II must
insist that the witness be inst ructed.
Your honor knows that plea of not
guilty was entered in the court of eXamina-
ton, and a similar plea has been formally
entered in this court of Arrangement. This
man is on trial; be has not been convicted,
and call upon your honor to instruct the
witness that he must not use such terms
of self accusation, as 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, land fully appreciates the