Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-01-11
THE COUNSEL'S FAREWELL
How a Texas Lawyer EXtorted an
Acquittal i'm a Capital Case.
New Orleans Picayune.


New Orleans Picayune.
A prominent lawyer of the Lone
Star State, who recently visited
New Orleans, related to a reporter
the following story of a murder
trial in his Texas home:
The prisoner was on trial for his
life. The evidence had all been
heard. The States Attorney had
lust taken his seat after a most
incisive statement of the evidence,
wherein he demonstrated the utter
failure of the prisoners theory OF
self-defense. The counsel for the
prisoner was a stranger, known
only by reputation 10 the Judge
and bar, and that reputation Was
one of great ability, perfect in
tegrity, and marvellous knack OF
scratching verdicts' each time by
some new turn. This gaunt, yet
graceful, gray-headed man arose,
seemingly without looking at the
jury, though each man felt be was
under the power of that wide-open
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;
"You must die, John-die by
hanging. 1t will be for no fault
of yours, by no fault of the Judge
or of his jury, or the good people of
the county; neither will it be any
fault of the law. The law of Texas
is all right, though you die in
nocent. The law, though its
machinery may sometimes expose
perjury, can't always prevent the
false swearing of witnesses. Judge
and iuries have not the power,
though they sometimes exercise
the authority of Almighty God.
They couldn't look into the souls
of those perjured witnesses and
see the malice, hate, and private
purpose that eolored and twisted
all the facts. We can't help it now.
You must die as you have lived,
like brave man. I 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 b1oodiest
fields of the late war the bleeding,
senseless form of your father,
while shot and shell still shriaked
and the groans of the dying filled
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 betrey no trust. The
only message he sent you was,
Tell him we believe in him We
will 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 the
other John that I see the visions OF
happy boyhood while gazing into
the same true eyes-confused
with these is the pride I have
taken in my friends boy. While
we lay these bodies in the church
yard over the mountain We'll ap'
peal this case. We'll try it all
over again up yonder."
Then, in a few of the boldest
and grandest figures, he sketched
his idea of trial In heaven, where
az he said. SIN that glorious
presence the false witness is dumb
and inerrant Judge needs not the
aid of counsel of jurors" Then ne
pictured the eagerness with which
the mother and the calm con
fdence with which the father
awaits Heavens verdict, the quick
ruch, the enhancing, soul-satisfy
embrace of both at the words
':w5r.ls. ..Not guilty" Then taking
up both hana}s of the prisoner, h
looked down IL his face for
moment steadily, Nthen bending
forward with mother-like tender
ness, kissed him twice on the fore
head, saying in whisper audible
to all, "NYe can wait for that
so goodbye, John, my boy" Bow
ing respectfully to the Juege b.
took his seat still holding one o
the prisoners hands,
The District Attorney, VIII
through all this sat with his bacl
half turned to the speaker and t.
the jury, nervously and excite'
L 80 tootb nioG on1 orOcc1O