Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-09-05
CHATTER XII.

My life at Nowgate was an ordeal
such as l hope no reader of this will
ever undergo. Day by day / saw the
world slipping from under my feet and
the not drawing its deadly folds closer
around me. Soon we all We're forced to
realize there was no escape for any OF us.
OF course we were all guilty and de-
served punishment-I need not say we
did not think so then--but tho evidence
was most weak, and had our trial taken
place in America under the too liberal
construction of our laws undoubtedly
we all would have escaped But in Eng
land there isno court Of criminal appeal,
as with us, and when once the Jury
gives verdict that ends the matter.
The result is that If judges arc preju-
diced or want man convicted he never
escapes, The jury is always selected
from the shopkoeping class. and they
arc horribly subservient TO the aristo.
cratic classes. They don't care for evil
denco. They simply watch the judge.
If ho smiles, the prisoner is innocent;
If no frowns, then, of course, guilty.
With us when man is charged with
an ofienso against the laws he engages
n lawyer. One is sufficient and quito
costly enough. In England thoy arc di-
vided into three classes-viz, solicitors,
barristers and queens counsel.
The solicitor takes tho case and trans.
acts all the business connected with it.
A barrister is the lawyer who is EN-.
ployed by tho solicitor to conduct the
case in court and make the plcadings.
He never comes in contact with tho
client, but takes the brief and all in.
structions from the solicitor. Tho
queens counsel is lawyer OF higher
rank, aud whenever his serene lordship
takes u brief he must, to keep up his
dignity, be supported" by q barrister.
So my reader will perhaps understand
the raison d'etro of the provcrb, "Tha
lawyers own England, " As no solicitor
can plead in court, so no queens coun.
sci will como IN direct contact with n
client and must be supported" by
barrister Ergo any unfortunate having
case in court must fee two IL not three
legal sharks to represent him, il repre-.
, scented at all.
We employed as solicitor Mr.. David
Howell Of 100 Choapside, and thor.
oughgoing, unprinoipled rascal he proved
to be. Hewas n small, spare, understood
man, with little beady eyes, light com.
plexion. rcd hair and Stuhby beard. and
when hospoke it was with thin. reedv
voice. From first to last he managed
our case in exactly tho way the prosccu.
tion would havo desired. He bled us
freely, and altogether wo paid him near.
ly$lO, 900, and our defense by our eight
lawyers--four queen's counsel and four
barristers--was about the lamest and
most idiotic possible,
We early came to tho unanimous con.
clrsion that ia our country Howell
would have had TO faco Jury for rob.
bling US, and that but one OF our oigh,
lawyers had ability enough to appear in
a police court hero to conduct hearing
before nm ordinary magistrate.
do not propose TO eutcr into tho do.
tails of our preliminary hearings before
the lord mayor at the Mansion House, O,
Of the trial. Both tho hearings and trial
wero sensational in the highest degree
and attracted universal attention all
over tho English speaking world. Full
page pictures Of tho trial appeared IN
all the Illustrated Journals Of Furope
and America, and our portraits were ON
salo cyeyywhogN
After many hearings bsfsre Sir sid.
noy Wateglow wo were finally commit.
ted for trial,
'9or eishi mortal days tho anal trial