The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-09-02
A CHANGED VERDICT.
How Patty Saved Her Lover from
the Gallows.

Inc lignIS were turned low In the
courtroom, and about them slowly
circled the foul, heavy air, adding to
the dimness. Judge Greengoods had
gone to his dinner, having announced
his intention to return at nine o'clock,
unless summoned ooner by the agree
ment of the jury. The district attor-
ney had packed away the papers that
had seen their day in his green bag,
and, arm in arm with his assistant, had
strolled away, pausing 10 and again
to whisper a caution to a bailiff, and to
receive in return more or less anthem
tic information.
The prisoner had been led over the
covered corridor-another Bridge of
Sighs-into the Jail to await his fate in
the cell where murderers were always
kept, as the great iron ring in the CEN
ter of the floor for their better secur-
ing attested. His counsel had accom-
panied him to the stairway, and then
had turned into the Office to have a
smoke and a chat as to prospects with
his friend, the sheriff.
Dubious" said that functionary,
munching at his cigar, 1.-THE Judge
was agin him from the fust, and the
jury seed it,"
The reporters had hurried away with
their notes, first arranging for tele-
phone calls when the verdict was
reached.
High above the judges bench ran a
gallery. At the end nearest the win
dow was a door. Before this door sat a
court officer, and behind it was the
jury discussing, and SO vigorously, too,
that again and anon a muffled sound
would descend to those who waited.
These were few in number-the JAM
itor of the building, the clerk, who
lived out of town and had brought a
lunch with him, three or four attend
ants, the blind crier doing in his
chair, and, in the further corner of the
spectators seats, an old woman and a
young girl The former of these two
was stiff and motionless, her features
set sbernly and her eyes burning with
a fierce desire. The latter was slight
and yielding. She swayed from the
weakness hat terror had brought on
and would have rested her head on her
companions arm had not an unrecog-
nized antipathy prevented. There and
thus they had sat throughout the day.
the matron a stone and the maiden a
reed. Finally this young girl spoke.
'Grandma," she said, why does that
man sit without that door?"
He is on guard, my child, to see that
the jury is secure aud unmolested."
But why should they be locked up?"
''In order that they may render a
verdict and thus punish the wicked"
But surely each one must have
known what he believed when the case
was finished, and combining them won't
cause them to change
No, but discussion may"
Then that would be yielding to
other influences than that Of the evil
dence, and would be contrary to the
oath they each n took"
''Some are strong and sensible, and
others weak and foolish. 1t is proper
that the will of the former should pre-
vail"
But that wouldn't be their unani-
nous judgment then, and who can say
but that the weak and foolish may not
sometimes be right? Besides they must
be hungry and tired and cross. And
when people are cross they are unfair.
Oh, what a dreadful thing is the law"
What a dreadful thing rather is
murder. Think of your only brother
done to death by the Barlings. l only
wish the old days of drawing and quar-
tering had returned"
''Oh, do you really believe
"Believe! Don't | know? Hain't the
Knowleses and the Barlings been at
odds this fifty years? Didn't the boys
quarrel at the tavern? Haven't we
heered the detectives stories and this
lads admission? What If the others
did get away? He was there, and he
done it as much as them. And the jury
will say Swing you mark me-"