Saint Mary's beacon., 1895-07-25

E~--~~~~"~@~Ss
iiup against the wall, and with an
arm violently waving on either side
to prevent escape, discusses the
great trial.
| The Ferrall murder trial began
Monday, June "a, when Mrs. Fer
rail- was arraigned. Court ad diourn-
cd Q week to secure the attendance
OF witnesses, and since reconvenina
the case has gone steadily forward,
not stopping even for Fourth of
July.
The courtroom IN which the ca
is being tried was evidently i.,ten.lk
ed for an amusement hall. It has
Q high stage, curtain and dress
ing-rooms. The flrst thing a visi.
tor sees on entering while the trial
was in progress is the three judges
sitting upon the stage, two old men
for counsel and one young man for
war--as the lawyers found out when
they endeavored to combat judicial
decisions during the course Of the
trial. Chief Judge John p. Bris-
cce. Of Calvert county is the young
est man Of the trio. lie has black
hair and moustache, and plenty of
ginger to give tone TO the proceed
ings. Associate Judges John b.
Brooke, of Prince Georges county
and j. Parran Crane, of st. Mary's
county, are older, both having long,
white boards. Judge Crane some.
times speaks to the attorneys in
giving decision of the court, but
Judge Brooke hardly ever does so.
Judge Crane is thin. Judge Brooke
is stout.
But one does not look at the
judges. The prisoner is the GEN.
tire of attraction. She is not noti.
ced at first. She sits in front, Just
outside q rope stretched in lieu of
bar. One can find her easier be-
cause, generally speaking. she is the
only woman in court. One day q
woman went and sat with her, but
for the rest she has been alone in a
crowd of men.
Just behind her tall man sits in
the ordinary dress OF farmer. He
wears close-cropped beard and has
o kindly expression around theeyes.
1t lie Sheriff John ". Albrittain, of
Port Tobacco. lie hunted his pris-
oner four months without success.
Now he entertains her at his home
as a guest Of the family. The Jail
is not fit for a woman. Every
morning the Sheriff drives in from
Port Tobacco with Mrs. Farrall
and every evening the town people
stare as Sheriff and prisoner leave
for the Sheriff's home.
In court Mrs. Farrall sits like a
statue. She hardly moves. All
her muscles appear to be stiff and
rigid. Occasionally she changes
position slightly in her chair, but
the movement is unnaturalIy guard
ed and strained. She dresses in
mourning black for the husband
they are trying to convict her of
numbering. Her bat is a black
sailor. There is an occasional CLEAN
of jet at her throat The dress is
some fluffy material Of somberest
black. A black shoyel-shaped fan
with silver flowers is kept constant
ly in motion at rate monotonous
for its regularity.
She holds her chin in and sits up
straight. 1t makes her look out
from under her eyebrows in steady
determined way. 0ccasionally her
eyelids relax and are raised YEARLY.
Sometimes she congresses her lips,
but not at anything brought out IN
the testimony. IL Is part Of the
awful strain of days on days Of trial.
Her composure amounts to stolidi-
ty. There is not the CLEAN Of any
expression on her face She looked
at witnesses, judges and lawyers
calmly, indifferently, till Hall was
put Oh the stand. Then she looked
at the floor.
Mrs. Farrall is 80 years old by
her face, though it is unkind to
read q woman's sge in a pale face
that has endured the strain hers has
in the last two weeks. Her feat
| ures are regular, her face well shap-
ed and, with the addition of the vi
vacity that entrauced Frederick
Farrall, would be pretty. Some
times she leans her face on her left
hand and watches the progress of
the case with slow, rolling eyeballs,
without moving her head.