The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-06-01
A LAWYERS STORY.
BY HARRY HOWARD.

The most curious and interesting case
OF circumstantial evidence In my practice
was that of Nat Ford. 1t occurred when
j was a much younger man than now
am. In fact, had never had a criminal
case, and was beginning to wonder IL I
ever should have one, when i received the
following telegram
al am arrested on a charge of murder.
You must defend me. Come at once.
Nat"
Nat Ford had been my friend from boy
hood. Left an orphan at an early age, he
had been adopted by bachelor uncle
who was said to be very wealthy. His
home, called Winthrop Place, was like
many Southern mansions of that period
very large, with numerous wings, and a
double piazza on three sides. ! had
visited Nat more than once and remem-
bered the house very distinctly.
wondered whom Nat could have been
accused OF having murdered. He was
rather . wild boy, but not at all quar-
relsome; and he never had an enemy in
the world. II was of no use wondering !;
the telegram gave me no cue, and must
wait till reached my destination.
In response to my telegram that Iwould
hIEiNC vi thS hCAt tIdlus WuS ICt az bhc
station by old Aleck, the coachman, with
the Winthrop carriage. He greeted me
very sorrowfully. l could hardly wait
questioning.
"Aleck, what is all this trouble about?"
"W'y bress yo' soul, Massa Harry!
Amt yo' done heard it?" Aleck looked
wonderingly at me. "Somebody done
killed ole Massa, an de hossifers say twas
Massa Nat"
could not repress an exclamation of
horror.
"Nat never could have done such a
thingl" said.
"Co'se he nebba; we all knows dat.
You'll sabe I'm, Massa Harry, you'll tell
de hossifers he didn't, won't your"
Iassured the old man that would do
everything in my power. then asked
him for detailed account of the tragedy.
"Nobody doan' know much bout hit.
Ole Massa was a-writin' in his room at
midnight wen de ole woman went down
kitchen To- hot watah TO- her newralgy.
Den bout half hour srter, we done heard
Massa Nat leave his room an nebba heard
i'm come bacf. Mex mo'nin' we done
an ole Massa dead on de fio', an ma'ks
on lis neck wha' somebody done choke
'im."
Horriblel" exclaimed. "But why
was 1t done?"
"Fo' money. Dey say dere's heaps oh
1t gone"
Icould learn little more, and the re-
mainder OF the fve-mile journey was
made in silence.
had expected to find Nat looking wor-
ried, but was not prepared to meet the
haggard, wild-eyed man whom / found
in a cell at the Jail, when ran down there
after supper.
We had long conversation, but could
learn little of Importance. Nat had gone
to the library for a book about midnight
or little later on the night of the trag-
edy. He saw his uncle writing in his
room as he passed the door. After spend
ing some time in selecting book, he re-
turned with IL to his own apartment; !;
and, noticing as he passed that the door
was closed and the light extinguished,
supposed that his uncle had retired. The
deed must have been done while be was
in the library.
At the inquest it had been shown that
the old man had been strangled In his
chair by some one who seized him from
behind. There were no marks Of violence
except the livid fingerprints on his throat,
and no sign OF any struggle.
But the most damaging testimony
against Nat was the discovery of his scarf
pin, which had dropped down the collar
of his uncle's coat, and was found by the
coroner. This, 1t was argued, could not
have occurred unless Nat had stood be-
hind Mr.. Winthrop in the position one
must necessarily take to commit such q
deed.
The safe door was standing ajar; all
the money and papers were missing. The
drawers OF the desk, too, had been rified
This was bad enough, but questioned
the servants.
Alexis wife repeated what Aleck had
said; that when she went to the kitchen
for hot water at midnight Mr.. Winthrop
was writing in his room. Shortly after
her return, they-both she and Aleck--
heard Nat leave his chamber and go along
the hall toward his uncle's room. They
fell asleep shortly afterward, and neither
of them heard him return.
Old Hetty, whose room was on the
first floor beneath Mr.. Winthrop's was
awakened some time in the night by a
sound as Of a weight falling on the piazza
without. But she had no idea what time
II was, and the noise might or might not
have had any bearing on the crime.
This was absolutely all that / could
learn OF the matter. Personally, was
satisfied that Nat was innocent; but
from the data at hand II seemed impos-
sible to establish his innocence in court.
Young and inexperienced as was, the
responsibility was greater than liked to
bear, and l asked Nat to let me bring in
an Older lawyer. His reply was a most
emphatic negative, his reasons being that
no other man would believe him innocent,
and, therefore, no one else would put his
whole heart into the work. Expostula-
tion was in vain; ] must work out the
case myself.
Court was at that time in session, and
Mats case was set for Friday OF the fol-
lowing week. During the days that fol-
lowed I worked as no man ever worked
before 10 find some clue TO the murderer.
There were not wanting detectives to ply
their skill, but all in vain. Nat passed
the time In sort OF stupor, seemingly