The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1894-10-20
prove it, sad the coloncI. But

case II you are SatiSficd VITA my the
DRY, l will tell it to you"
"Of course l will give you the case
If you can prove me innocent"
then related my plan of defense,
! and when I had finished, the colonel
shook me jovfully by the hand, and
sd, God bless you, my boy! You
will save me from the gallo VS."
He discharged the other lawyers,
who chcerfully informed him that he
would be hung anyway. that he had
no chanc" whatever with that young
upstart for counsel, and deserved hang
ing for having him. l demanded an
immediate trial, for which the govern
ment was entirely read~.
AS you remember. the case was the
topic of the day, and Col. Coventry was
thought crazy, the strongest proof being
the fact that he had engaged me to
defend him. l received many IL cut
from tho papers. and altogether my
name became very well known, though
not in an enviablc connection. / en-
ioycd it all. confident in the brilliant
but simple defense | was to make.
| knew that the reaction would be
powerful. and that those who now re-
viled and snnered at me would, ere
long. be sounding my praise. When l
looked back on that time, l was SUI
prised that no one thought of the de-
Tense | was to make. but. then. it is Oft
Ell the simplest points that are Oyer
looked in the haste to follow an unsea-
sonnble clue, whose only recommended
ton sometimes is its ingenuity.
The trial came On; the government
inst brought forward the two men
Mo wore to seeing Col. Coventry
Walking by the bank at half-past eight
Geek on the night of the murder.
Then evidence wlS brought to show
that the colonel, although a rich man,
was just at that time in need of ready
money to complete a speculation in
which he was engaged.
The last and strongest witness was
Mr.. Charles Brand, the cashier, who
testified to the description of his assail-
ant. which correspondcd to that of my
client. and sworc in the most positive
manner that the robber had lost his
left arm at the elbow.
This closed the testimony for the
government. and was, indeed, 4 perfect
network Of circumstantial evidence.
The government attorney, Mr.. -.
was a great sportsman and betting
man. So, leaning over to him, I said:
How much will you bet that 1 will
not prove my clients inn%ocence?"
He laughed, and then he said,
"You cannot do it, unless you
furnish the mar who did the deed.
You haven't secured him, have you?'
This last in Il %sneering tone.
No" was my reply, "but I have as
good q Witness"
''Tell me who your witness is, and
then | may bet" he said.
my only witness is Mr.. Brand, the
cashier"
THE cashier! Why man, you are
crazy"
We'll, what will you bet?" I persist
ed.
"Oh! if you are anxious to bet. 1 will
run up 800 hundred dollars" he an
swered. though I dislike to bet on a
sure thing"
I'll cover your bet" I said. You
think you have Il sure thing, and so do
l; so we are safe"
This little by-play passed during the
government testimony. l arose and
addressed the court, saying that I had
but one witness to call; that 1 might
bring many witnesses to prove that
it was Colonel 60 yantry's invariable
custom to take a walk after his din
ne" =: ] ,llt he always came back by
way of the bank; also many to prove
that the colonel could have borrowed
on his personal note, and did borrow
in that way All the money he needed
for his speculation; but that the one
witness whom I was about to call
upon could and would prove beyond a
shadow of n doubt that the colonel
was not the murderer and robber.
All the courtroom was on tiptoc OF
expectation for my witness. but when
1 called Mr.. Charles Brand, the muir.
mur of surprise that rippled out
through the room was ludiccous. Oh
all the surprised ones, none was more
SO than the cashier. so unexpectedly
called upon as an infallible witness in
favor of the man whom he had only a
few moments before virtually con
demncd. He came forward reluctant
ly, and stood in Il daZpd n while
] questioned him.
You are positive that it was the
right hand in which the robber hello
the pistol?'
Yes he answered, Il am positive
Gould it not have been his lief
hand?'
No; his left arm was gone"
us there no possibility of your mis-
taking the hand?'
mo: l am sure thta it was the right
hand that was pointed at me-
BY this time everyone thought that
| was trying to confuse the witness
and there was some whispered com
ments on my sanity. l spoke a few
words to my clerk, who went out. re
turning in a few moments with a large
frame covered completely with a cloth
which l placed iii front of the cashier
"Now. Mr.. Brand l wish you to look
at that without turning your head till
such a time as I tell YOU"
Having acceded to my wish, he sal
down attentively studying the black
cloth in front of him. I signalled tt
Colonel Coventry, who advanced, re
moved his coat, put on the black mask
which had been brought to the court
room. took the revolver III his only
hand, his right one, and stood behinC
the cashiers chair pointing the muzzle
at his head. Everyone was interested
in this dramatic scene. At a sigr
from rue my clerk pulled away thu
Lcloth, and displayed a large plateglass
mirror. When the cashier saw the fig
ure in the mirror he started from the
chair in surprise, but l held him down
"Tell me-" I said. lis this figure like
that of the robbery'
1.-THE identical likeness he answe,
ed. 'a,
"Iook closer! Is there no differ
ence?"
In a few moments he said: "Oh
yes! The figure is holding the revolve
in his left hand"
At ti1is q III Irmlr ran through tn