The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1892-09-03

The district attorney consented, prob
ably thinking there could be no ques-
ton 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 that
he would be convicted. 1t was expressed
by an old lawyer in this way:
son 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 prisoner to be acquitted
on good character alone. If this fellow
| is, it'll be rare case. But they'll con-
Wet 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 juries convicted two prisoners, and
still we were in suspense. 1t was not
till the court was about to adjourn at
might that the jury came in, after a ses-
sion of six hours
"a disagreement. I'll bet," said a
lawyer behind me.
1t was not 1t was a 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 l soon
became aware that there was a 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 had thoroughly
interested me in the boy and deter
mined that he should stay right in thi!
town and let time decide whether the
Jury were right or wrong. So tool
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
err than expected.
) One evening six months later m,
friend, the district attorney, ran up
stairs to nv office and burst in with tn
exclamation:
"Well, Brad, your boy is a good fel
low, after all. You know Jed Mabbet
was convicted a week ago of that rob
berry in Andrewstown?-th one wher'
: they tie 1.-THE old man and woman bacl
to back and pillaged the house. TIL,
judge gave him twenty years. and I sup
: pose he thought it would make vervlittl
, difference with him after that whethe
! the offenses he bad previously commit
. ted were known or not. He sent word I,
4 me that he wanted to see me; so wen
/ to the Jail and he confessed that tn,
Mixer robbery was planned and exc
cuted by himself. with his gang, tina
t he never heard of Clinton before tn,
r trial and that the boy knew no NOR,
. about the robbery than what he hat
S told"
e knew it would turn out so sooner o.
E later. knew people would be brough
i to believe in Dyer's innocence, but
s Qratified me almost as much as it di
q him to have the proof come so soon ant
D so conclusive. You may imagine how
friendly our people all felt toward hin
;. after this revelation. He had chance
e to go into business on every hand, bu
a he said he would reject them all if
n wanted him to stay with me. l toll
l him to do the best he could for himself
and when You remember that this wa
but thirty years ago, and that Clinto
{ Dyer's check is now as good for tw
S hundred and fifty thousand dollars a
+ yours or mine is for hundred you won
e find il difficult to believe that he ha
e done pretty well for himself. And a
e for me, the retainers l have had fror
I him since the day l visited him in tn
d Jail would count up thousands of do
|. lars.
Clinton always declares that but fc
!, me he would have passed at least 81
: months in state prison. Perhaps he
7 right.-Charles Daily Douglas, in n
Weekly.