The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1893-10-28

II not SCOppeO IL WILL CESAlOdlA ~ ASAO
to anarchy or imperialism.
Power of Simple Eloquence.
The little court house was packed. Look
ing out of its many paned windows across
the dusty square, one could see the atmos-
phere quivering under the August sun.
There was scarcely breath of breeze. 1t
was air and sky under which racers, ner-
vous animals. break records. Coupled with
that atmospheric condition there that in
describable nervous tension apparent in the
crowd that betokens intensest interest in
some human concern. The young prisoner
was on trial for his life. The evidence had
all been heard. The States attorney had
ment of the evidence wherein he had de-
monstrated the utter failure of the prisoners
theory Of elf-defcnse. The prisoner
stranger in the county. The deceased had
long resided there, though few knew him,
and many shrugged their shoulders when
he and his were mentioned, for their repu-
tation was not of the best, though no one
could point to any particular act. The
counsel for the prisoner was a stranger too,
known only by reputation to the judge and
ability. perfect integrity, and and n,arve
lous knack of ''snatching vcrdicts' each
time by some new turn. This gaunt, yet
graceful gray hcadcd man arose, seemingly
without cooking at the jury, though each man
felt he under tn. power of that wide
open gray eye. After bowling to the judge
and saying few almost i.,audible words of
courtesy to his honor, he turned to the pris-
oner and said: ''You must die, John-die
by hanging. 1t will be for fault of yours,
by fault Of the judge of his jury, of
the good people of the country: neither will
it be any fault of the law. The law of Tex
is all right, though you die innocent. The
law, though its machinery may sometimes
expose perjury, can't always prevent the
false swearing Of witnesses. Judges and
jurics have not the power, though they some
times exercise the authority, of Almighty
God. They couldn't look down into the
souls of these per ured witnesses and see the
malice, hate and private purpose that color
ed and twisted all the facts. We can't help
it now. You must die you have lived,
like brave man. 1 don't need to tell you
that. The woman who bore you, three
months before you the light of heaven,
carried in her arms from of the blood
lest fields of the late war, the bleeding,
form of your father, while shot and
shell still shrieked and the groans of the dy
ing filled the air. And your father, whose
MANNED body we laid to rest last week,
not matched in ali this land. These trusted
you, and their blood can betray no trust
The only message he sent you was, Tell
him we believe in him We will lay you
beside them. In few days this old white
head will be laid next to you. I'll not be
ashamed to be buried soon beside you, John.
You are SO like the other John, that see
visions of happy boyhood while gazing into
the same true eycs-confused with these is
the pride. I've taken in my friends
boy. While lay these bodies in the
church yard over the mountain We'll appeal
this case. Well try it all over again up
youder.'' Then in few of the boldest and
grandest figures he sketched his idea of a
trial in Heaven. where, as he said, g In that
glorious presence false witness is dumb and
the 1nerrant Judge needs not the aid of coun-
sci or of juries.' Then he pictured in low,
tones the eagerness with which
the mother, and the calm confidence with
which the father, awaited in Heavens YER
dict, the quick rush, the enhancing, soul
satisfying embrace of both at the wo1ds
mot guilty. Then, taking up both hands
Of the prisoner, he looked down in his face,
for a moment steadily, then, bending for
ward, with mother-like tenderness. kissed
hin, twice on the forehead, saying, in a whis-
per audible to all, "We can wait for tina. ?
So. good bye. John, my boy" Bowling res
pectfully again to the Judge, he took his seat
still holding one of the prisoners hands.
The district attorney, who through all this
at with back half turned to the speaker and
to the jury, nervously and excitedly chewing
his toothpick and crossing and recrossed his
EGGS, began a reply which quickly ended,
aft er good look at the jurors faces, in a
s,ammering request to them to do their duty.
The judges charge scattering. He
seemed to scarcely know what he said. The
iuTy did NOT hear him Not the Sliohtes<