The Republican., 1892-07-01

The district attorney consented. prob.
ably thinking there could be no oues-
tion but that the boy would be con-
victed. The judge gave acareful charge.
rather against the boy, of course. on
the whole evidence, the jury retired,
and the court took a recess.
found the general opinion was tina.
he would be convicted. 1t was expressed
by an old lawyer in this way:
"On the whole, Bradstreet, it's doubt-
full whether the boy is guilty or not.
The jury ought to give him the benefit
of the doubt, but they won't. I've
never known a prisoner to be acquitted
on good character alone. If this fellow
is, it'll be rare case. But they'll con-
vict him."
So others talked; and many who were
not lawyers told me that they hardly
thought him guilty, and hoped he
would be acqu tied, but they feared
| not.
An hour passed. and no jury. Court
went on again and tried two more cases;
two iuries convicted two prisoners, and
still we were in suspense. 1t was not
till the court was about to adjourn at
night that the jury came in, after ses-
sion of six hours
"A disagreement, I'll bet," said a
lawyer behind me.
1t was not 1t was straight verdict
of mot guilty" and poor Mrs Dyer
threw her arms round her boys neck,
and wept aloud.
1t was understood that they were
evenly divided on the first ballot, but
Clinton's six were determined that they
would not come back until they came
back to acquit.
The result was generally satisfactory
to all who heard the trial; but | soon
became aware that there was feeling
among some-very respectable people,
too-that Clinton was really guilty. but
had been cleared by what they termed
my "cuteness."
What had occurred hal thoroughly
| interested me in the boy and deter
mined that he should stay right in this
town and let time decide whether the
jury were right or wrong. So | took
him into my Office and family, and al
though he never had any particular apti-
tude for the law yet he was correct,
careful and faithful and easily earned
good wages. His vindication came SOON
er than l expected.
One evening six months later my
friend, the district attorney, ran up
stairs to my office and burst in with the
exclamation:
"Well, Brad, your BOY is good fell
low, after all. You know Jed Mabbett
was convicted a week ago of that rob-
berry in Andrewstowno-that one where
they tie the old man and woman back
to back and pillaged the house. The
judge gave him twenty years, and sup
pose he thought it would make vervlittle
difference with him after that whether
the offenses he had previously commit
ted were known or not. He sent word to
me that he wanted to see me: so went
to the Jail and he confessed that the
Mixer robbery was planned and exc
cuted by himself. with his gang, that
he never heard of Clinton before the
trial and that the boy knew no more
o'c"o oiS ioDcSiy Wiut HC iuo
told"
knew it would turn out so sooner or
later. | knew people would be brought
to believe in Dyer's innocence, but it
gratitied me almost as much as it did
him to have the proof come so soor sad
so conclusive. You may imagine how
friendly our people all felt toward him
after this revelation. He had chances
to go into business on every hand, but
he said he would reject them all if
wanted him to stay with me. I told
him to do the best he could for himself,
and when you remember that this was
but thirty years ago, and that Clinton
Dyer's check is now as good for two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars as
yours or mine is for a hundred you won't
find it difficult to believe that he has
done pretty well for himself Ard as
for me, the retainers | have had from
him since the day | visited him in the
Jail would count up thousands of dol
lars
Clinton always declares that but for
me he would have passed at least six
months in state prison. Perhaps he is
right.-Charles Daily Douglas, in n. Y.
Nnolyl,-