The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-01-31
The Counsel's Goodbye Words.

A prominent lawyer Of the Lon
Star State, who recently visited Nez
Orleans, related to reporter the fol
lowing story Of a murder trial in hi
Texas home:
The prisoner was on trial for hi
life. The evidence had all beer
heard. The States attorney had jus
taken his seat after q most incisiv'
statement of the evidence, wherein hi
demonstrated the utter failure Of thu
prisoners theory of self-defence
The counsel for the prisoner was
stranger, known only by reputation tt
the Judge and Bar, and that reputa
tion was one of great ability, perfect
integrity and a marvellous knack Of
"snatching verdicts'' 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 he was under
the power Of that wide-open eye. AT.
ter bowling to the Judge and saying a
few almost inaudible words of courtesy
to his Honor, he turned to the pris'
oner and said:
"You must die, John-die by hang,
ing. 1t will be for no fault of yours,
by no fault of the Judge, or of his
jury, or of the good people Of the
country neither will it be any fault
of the law. The law of Texas is al
right, though you die innocent. The
law, though it's machinery may some
times expose perjury, can't always
prevent the false swearing of wit,
nesses. Judge and juries 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 pur'
pose that colored and twisted all the
facts. We can't help it now. You
must die as you have lived, like a
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 bloodiest fields of the late
war the bleeding, senseless form Of
your father, while shot and shell still
shrieked 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 betray no trust. The only mes
sage he sent you was, Tell him we
believe in him We will lay you be.
side 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 [ 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 bod
les in the churchyard over the noun,
tain we'll appeal this case. Well try
it all over again up yonder.
Then, in few of the boldest and
grandest figures he skctched his idea
of trial in Heaven, where, as he said,
SIN that glorious presence the false
witness is dumb and the inerrant
Judge needs not the aid of counsel OF
jurors" Then he pictured the ca,
gerness with which the mother and
the calm confidence with which the
father awaits Heavens verdict, the
quick rush, the enhancing, soul,
satisfying embrace of both at the
words "Not guilty." Then, taking up
both hands of the prisoner, he looked
down in his face for a moment stead
lily, then, bending forward with
mother-like tenderness, kissed him
twice on the forehead, saying, in
whisper audible to all, "We can wait
for that; so goodbye, John, my
boy" Bowing respectfully to the
Judge he took his seat, still holding
one of the prisoners hands.
The district attorney, who through
all this sat withahis back half turned
to the speaker and to the jury nerv-
ously and excitedly chewing his tooth
pick and crossing and recrossing his
legs, began reply which quickly end
ed after a good look at the jurors
faces in a stammering request to then
to do their duty. The Judges charge
was scattering. He seemed to scarcely
know what he said. The jury did moi
hear him. Not the slightest incident
occurred to break the spell. They
went out, returned, and in very few
moments the verdict of 'not guilty
was recorded. What was the force
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