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


he could and saw them running away,
when he was himself seized by some
one, who shouted murder, and held him
till others came, when, to his amaze
ment, he found himself charged with
robbery.
"And that's absolutely all | know
about it" he said. II was in company
with no one on the road that day. l
don't know who those men were nor
where they went. ! don't know any
thing about it. didn't know that old
man was walking in front of me, and l
didn't know where there was any
money, except the poor little sum in
my own pocket. And, more than all
that, couldn't commit crime, sir.
I've been brought up by Christian par
ents, and never stole cents worth.
Do you think yourself, sir, that would
be likely to begin with highway rob-
bery?"
The boy might have made a lawyer;
he put just the question for the jury,
provided his training was what he
claimed. His words made a deep inn
preston on me. thought an instant,
and then said:
I'm tell you the truth, my lad. If
your character is what you say it is,
and you can get six good, reputable
men to prove it, there's chance for
you. after all. Can your"
He hesitated. Was l to be disap-
pointed in him, after all?
II don't believe my poor mother
knows anything about this" he said;
and a tear came into his eye. I'D
rather she wouldn't"
at can't be helped, Clinton. Your
feelings are honorable to you, but you
must not allow them to sacrifice YOU
Give me the names"
The boy took pencil and wrote in
my note book tine names OF six prom
inent citizens of Farnham. Prominent
citizens! / should think so. The list
embraced a Judge and q member OF
congress of my own acquaintance, and
there were besides two clergymen and
two merchants.
"Will these gentlemen swear to your
good character?" asked.
Every one of them" he answered
promptly.
shook his hand and told him to keeI
ND a good heart, and then hurried tc
nv Office to prepare for his defense.
The day of the trial came, and the
court opened with great crowd. Gin
toms mother sit beside him all day-s
sad-faced, rather handsome woman
and she looked tenderly at her son, ant
anxiously at judge and jury.
The district attorney opened the cast
with statement of just what old jacob
) Mixer would swear to, and then ole
Mixer came on and swore to it. have
no reason to suppose that the old maj
told anything but the simple truth, ant
it made a case of very strong circum
stantial evidence against the boy.
cross-examined him carefully. to ge
out all the facts; but what the readel
already knows was the substance Of it
1t seemed reasonably plain, from hi
story, that the prisoner was one of thu
oarty who attacked the old man in thu
. dark, or when it was nearly dark, ant
, robbed him of his money. If that wa
. true, Dyer was guilty, although not I
cent of the money could be traced II
him.
1--WE rest" said the district attorney
The Judge laid down his pen. with tn
air and expression that we often see IL
. "A Judge when he thinks a case has beel
well made out and cannot be very wei
, defended, and said:
well, Mr.. Bradstreetw
: rose and remarked to the jury tina
this was a case where circumstance
/ were couspiring against perfectly in
nocent lad. detailed infinitely tn
r occurrences of that evening, as tn
: prisoner would swear to them if tn
, law allowed him to be witness.
! told them who Clinton Dyer was, an
, the character / should prove for him
1 And then sat down.
r The Judge smiled and took up his pc
: again. / could read just what wa
= passing through his mind. If he and
1 had been alone at that moment. h
S would have said, with a laugh: "Brad
t street, your client is young fellow c
S pretty good character, who robbed a
I old man of three thousand dollars.
r And said to myself: 'I'll show you al
v presently, that there's more in this cas-
S than that"
p WANTED judge, jury and everybod
E else to see what kind of a mother tn
S boy had, so put her on the stand an
proved the age of her son. when he lei
home, how and for what purpose. He
d evidence made good impression, a
S though, of course, it was not very mate
e rial. Than proved by man that h
: saw Dyer leaving the village on tn
l Putney road that afternoon. alone
Then by another man, that half a
! hour before dusk he met old Mixer an
1 Dyer half mile behind him. and Dye
$ was still alone. Here was a little j
f our favor, and saw that the jury wer
) getting interested. Then l called Judg
1 Grove. The Judge on the bench locke
) up in surprise, for this was the mo: