The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-04-03

| tiptocs to see her.
God knows have done all could h
teach my boy to be honest" he muir
INJURED to himself. "If they were to con
vict me to-day what lesson it would be
to him! As he grew up he would learn
that his father was convict No; they
will not condemn me. l shall speak te
the jury, my words shall convince them
IL 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 craning of necks
over the vast crowd to catch q view OF
the prisoner. He wondered why they
were looking at him SO fixedly and so
pityingly. He looked at his wife: she
was regarding him with such q 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. II you will plead guilty
your punishment will be lighter. hiring
your wife to plead with YOU"
do 1t. john" said she, sobbing in
answer to his startled glance of inquiry.
Il know you are innocent, but the law
yer knows best what you ought to do. !"
Confess that my boy Is the son of a
felon, that you are the wife OF convict?
| will not do it. Go 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 refute the evil
dence ad vanced by the prosecution. He
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 shock their
heads.
YES" said the Judge, ''the prisoner
is entitled to make statement"
The voice Of the prisoner was very
unsteady when he begun to speak. He
said that he hoped all would pardon his
embarrassment 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 remem-
Der leaving the room but once and that
was to 60 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
be 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 He 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 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:
1T 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.
Many thought his hand was pressed
against his heart, but it was not, for he
had taken hold of something in his
breast pocket and was clutcLing it with
. grasp OF iron.
had risen to his feet. He was deathly
pale and his lips were twitching as if he
were in q spasm. He faced the jury,
then he turned to the wondering Judge.
81 have something to say.' he gasped.
He paused and looked toward his wife
and child and continued: II would not
care TOTO say it before them. May
ask them to retire."
The Judge nodded his head and the
prisoner went to the woman. He kissed
her tenderly on the lips and then he
kissed his boy and motioned them to
leave. The wife wept freely and her
sobbing could be heard through the
| courtroom as she went across the court
yard.
''He intends to confess now," . man
| said to q woman at his side.
YES" she answered in whisper,
land loved his wife SO much that he
could not do it before her. He has Z
good spot in him. He must have been
strongly tempted"
The convict put his hand back into
the breast Of his coat and stood near the
Judge and jury. There are people living
to-day who say that tears were in his
eyes.
"You have found me guilty." he be
gan. 81 hoped when had told you
with all the earnestness God has giver
me OF my innocence, that you would
credit me. You have not done SO. The
world is ready to look upon my child q
the offspring Of q thief. Ask yourselves
in the quiet Of your own bedrooms to
night, II am guilty. Something tell,
me that you will not think me SO to
morrow-you will know that stand &C
quilted"
His words clogged in his throat and
he was silent. His hand under his Goa
seemed to ball itself. Every body wa
filled with intense surprise. Was h,
mad? Had his troubles dethroned hi