Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-07-11
CHAPTER II

n note from that eminent lawyer, John
Greve, with whom had studied, ask
ing me to call and see Mrs. Prineveau
at her Fifth avenue home. He had
taken the liberty, he said, of recon-
mending me in a matter that would
perhaps be of great service to me. Per-
picked as was at this, knowing that
John Greve was Mrs. Prineveau's law
yer and did not need associate counsel,
1 nevertheless called promptly upon the
lady.
found her to be a very handsome
woman with great dignity of person, n
charming self-possession and all the ev-
licences of refined and estimable char
acter.
This unfortunate affair."" she said,
''has perpleXed me in more ways than
one. That wretched man, Clarkson,
as you doubtless know, is, in custody
and is now here. The circumstances
appear to leave little doubt of his guilt.
But he has a wife and two children.
Their abject misery is made all the
more acute by the wife's belief in her
husbands innocence. 1t is very dread
full state of affairs. but l shrink from
the responsibility which justice i'm
poses on me, OF hanging that helpless
wretch without giving him q show for
his life. He is not able to employ coun-
sci, and | am at the best only woman.
| propose to pay you to try and do the
best you can for him, and, of course,
do not wish anything said about it. l
took the advice of Mr.. Greve, and he
said that in any case the man was en-
titled to good counsel and advised mo
to employ you. 1t seems in such a
foregone conclusion small concession
to give him the benefit of the law. At
all events it will relieve me from the re-
proach of having been influenced en-
tirely by vindictive feeling"
l do not now remember all that was
said at this interview, but recall that
was consciously affected by the wom-
ans sympathy for man that she saw
had little or no chance for his life, and
who wanted to soften her own share in
the prosecution by not permitting him
to say he had no chance to prove his in.
nocence.
promised her to go and see the &C.
cused man and to send her my decision
as soon thereafter as was possible.
This interview was on the 25th. On
the Goth l went to see GARRISON in his
cell at the city prison. l found woman
in the warden's Office who had also come
to see him. 1t proved to be his wife.
She was such picture of cbject misery
that she arrested my attention. She
must have beer very beautiful girl, al
though now she was at least TWENTY-FIVE
and stTering had drawn its lines acros,
her white face. / could see that She
WIS made of the finest material. was
in fact one of those delicate sensitive.
emotional natures that shrink from the
world, but are capable of the greatest
sacrifices and measurelcss hcroism
when q crisis comes. She was wretch
edly clad from the biting spring
weather. and she stood with her face
turned toward the wall, but through
all her shabby intcgumcnts there was
proclamation of natural symmetry and
even of character. When the warden
told me who she was, went to her and
made myself and my mission known.
She grasped my hand with her long
cold fingers almost convulsivcly and
sweeping away the veil that had partly
concealed her face looked at. me so
searchingly and iInploringly with her
sad gray eyes that | started q little
go, sir!" she said, bad as my hus-
band may be, he is innocent of this,
and he has two little children that he
loves. You have come to save him.
feel it."
Ipatted her hand and tried to say
something that was encouragingly non
committal. I'VE shall see, we shall
see. Things are often not as bad as
they look. l am going to have chat
with him. In the meantime, save your
strength. You are not friendless."
She paid no heed at all to what
said. She was looking at me with
those gray eyes very much as if she
saw something behind me, and hanging
to my hand like drowning person.
"Ycs, yes." she said, with sob;
you will save him." and then she be-
gan TO cry convulsively.
ndu not the Ee1rJ 10 Tell nef now
hopeless it all looked. / wished that !
had been spared this so that my judg.
ment could come to the interview
with the accused man unperturbed.
She made me go up and see her hus-
band first. She would wait.
/ found GARRISON to be the very an
tithesis OF his wife. He large, mus
cular and slightly bloated fellow with
a purplish face, the result of debauch.
cry, but withal rather handsome man
or what would have been handsome
man in normal conditions He sat on
the edge of the iron bed when | entered
the cell, his head between his hands,
and he did not look up until l had
spoken to him, and then it was with
such a flabby despair that l felt re-
PEELED.
Here was one of those large vital ma
lures that appear to have no internal
resources. l could see in an instant
why his life had been failure. He
was made up Of unregulated appetites
and sensibilities without volition
enough to control them. Just the sort
of man to do a desperate deed in the
frenzy of drink, without motive be-