Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-12-09
Power Of sinple Eloauenee.

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Star state, relates the following story
of murder trial at his Texas home
The prisoner was on trial for his life.
The evidence had all been heard The
State Attorney had just taken his
seat after a most incisiye statement
of the evidence, wherein he had dem
onstrated the utter failure of the pris-
oner's theory of selfdefense. The
prisoner was a stranger in the county
The counsel for the prisoner was a
stranger, too, known only by reputa-
ton to the Judge and the bar, and
that reputation was one of great ahil-
ity, perfect integrity and marvellous
knack of snatching yerdicts each time
by some new turn, This gaunt yet
graceful gray-haired man arose SEEM
ingly without looking at the jury,
though each man felt that he was un.
der the power of that wide-open gray
eye. After bowling to the Judge and
saying a few almost inaudible words
Of courtesy to his Honor, be turned
to the prisoner and said:
avon must die John-die by hang
ing. 1t viii be no fault Of yours, by
no fault Of the Judge or his jury, or
Of the good people of the county;
neither will it be any fault of the law.
The law of Texas is alright, though
you die innocent The law, through
its machinery may sometimes expose
perjury, can't always prevent false
swearing of witnesses. Judges and
juries have not the power, though
they sometimes exercise the authority
of Almighty God. They could not
look down in the souls of those per
iured witnesses and see the malice,
hate and private purpose that colored
and twisted all the facts. We can't
help it now. You must die as you
have lived, a brave man. | don't need
to tell you that The woman who
bore you, three months before you
saw the light of heaven, carried in her
arms from one of the bIoodiest fields
of the late war the bleeding, senseless
form of your father, while shot. and
shell still shrieked and the groans of
the dying filed the air. And your
father, whose MANNED body we laid to
rest last week, was not matched in all
this land. These trusted you, and
their blood can betray no trust. The
only message he sent you was: "tell
him we believed in him." Wen lay
you beside them. In a 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 other John that | see the visions
of happy boyhood while gazing into
the same true eyes-confused with
these is the pride l have taken in my
friends boy. While we lay these
bodies in the churchyard over the
mountain we'll appeal this case We
will try it all over again up yonder. .
Then in few of the boldest and
grandest figures he sketched his idea
of trial in heaven, where, as he said
sin that glorious presence the false
witness is dumb and the ineFrani
Judge need not the aid of counsel Oh
of jurors" Then he pictured in low
vibrating tones the eagerness with
which the mother, and the calm con.
fdence with which the father awaited
heavens verdict, the quick rush, the
enhancing, soul-satisfying embrace Of
both at the words mot guilty" Then
taking up both hands of the prisoner
he looked down in his face steadily
for moment, then bending over witt
mother like tenderness, kissed him or
the forehead, saying, in whisper
audible to all, ewe can wait for that
So good-by, John, my boy, then bow
ing to the Judge, he took his seat
still holding one of the prisoners
hands. The District Attorney. who
through all this sat with his back hall
turned to the speaker and to the jury
nervously and excitedly chewing hi:
toothpick and crossing and recrossing