The San Francisco call., 1896-04-24

and went on record as not being more or
less in state of inebriety-an eQuiyocaI
condition, truly.
After MIR. Schmidt's weakness for in
toxicants had been fully established, and
the fact that his wealth had decreased to
one solitary silver dollar and the half of
another one-after Mr.. Schmidt had told
how the strong fingers of Mr.. Duffy had
compressed his windpipe and the slender
digits of Mr.. Ellis had sought the resting
place of that dollar and its fractured
brother-after another witness had identi-
ned the Duffy Ellis features as belonging
to the twin night providers he had seen
prospecting in the pockets of the uEwise
Schmidt, the ext case was called.
A woman charged with vagrancy was
cited to the bar. The policeman testified
that during the hours of the night she was
doing everything except ornamenting
some domestic fireside, and at no time in
his recollection did she conduct herself in
a manner compatible with perfect de-
corum. Her general conduct, he init
mated, was not such as Third and Howard
streets-her neighborhood-could admire.
10 this her attorney entered a specific
denial, and before be had finished "the
lady"-he called her that, with emphasis
on both phonic divisions of the words
had ''ca-rac-ter" as pure as dewdrop.
"Otficer TooP'-all policemen are officers
In police court etiquette-began the attor-
ney for the people, ION your knowledge
what is this woman's occupation?''
Il object to that answer" interrupted
counsel. ION the ground that it tends to
injure defendant's-I mean on the ground
that the officer knows nothing definitely
about her occupation"
However, it was shown that the lady
was not very good 'lady" notwithstand-
ing the assertion of the keeper of the
saloon, where with the assistance of
piano, she drew beer values from the poc-
kets of the visitors.
'She is honest and Industrious" said
her counsel, land poor" using that rich
and magic word, the powerful and final ar
gument OF forlorn cause. "She supports
two children and" "And a big, broad
shouldered man named Anderson" said
his Honor. 81 know the chap and have
rather have him here than this woman.
However, -pear-f'r-sentence
morn'p."
Another unfortunate wary of cash suf-
fered "a lady friend to relieve him of $82
during reception which she held in his
honor in North Kearny street cafe. So
briefly brought him knowledge of his
bankruptcy and the bruises he had re-
ceived in return for his eighty-two pieces
of silver, and he invoked the law. On the
stand ''the lady's' attorney inquired
closely into his liberality in the bottle
opening line, and his ability to know moth
ing after certain period in the progress of
his usual drinking bouts. To such ques-
tions he returned naughty and indignant
answers, bringing upon himself frequent
severe admonitions of the court.
Whatever resentment he may have
cherished against the woman, whose fasci-
nations were his undoing, he transferred
to the interogating lawyer. In his wrath
full mind she was exonerated, and, even if
she had Gifted" his pocket, her un-
righteousness was quite absolved in view
of the wicked presumptiousnesss of her
attorney. Instead of casting a stone at
her, he heaved whole broadside OF rocks
at him, and would have sacrificed the
cause had not the State of California taken
cognizance of'the lady's" apparent short
comings and sent her below to prepare in
sorrow and in tears for the Superior Court
on charge of grand larceny. Then the
heavy wheels of justice rolled on with
creak and groan, like car of iuggernaut,
over the reckless victims of their own
folly.