Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-09-12
SNA1chiNa a vERpicf.


Very Pretty story Of q Tcxss Law
yer's ehfc wdncse.
There arr lawyers who have the
knack of scratching veriicts." SO or
iginal and resourceful are they that
they never repeat themselves, and no
one can prophesy how In given cnse
they will persuade the Jury to decide
Tor t,r.ir client. One of these lawyers
live some years ago In Texas, where,
at a murder trial, he was. counsel for
tie prisoner. The New Orleans Plea
yuaS reports the extraordinary speech
by which he persuaded the Jury to &C.
quit bis client:
Ike evidence had been heard, and II
failfya to support the prisoners plea Of
seleIiefense. His counsel, a gaunt,
yrereful, gray.headed man, arose, bow.
ed TO the Judge, uttered the usual COM
uonplaccs Of courtesy, and then, turn.
ing to the prisoner, said:
"You must die, John-die by hang
ing. 1t will be for no fault Of yours.
by no fault Of the Judge, or Of this jury.
or Of the good people Of the country;
neither will It be any fault Of the law.
The law OF Texas Is all right. though
you die innocent. The law can't always
proven. the false swearing Of wit
ncsses.
Judge, and juries have not the pow.
or, though they sometimes exercise the
authority, Of Almighty God. They
couldn't look down into the souls Of
those pcrjured witnesses and see the
malice that colorcd the facts.
I'VE can't help 1t now. You must die
ns you have lived, like brave man. !
don't need to tell you that. The wom-
an who bore yot carried In her arms
from one Of the bloodiest fields Of the
late war the bleeding. senseless form
of your father. while shot and shell
shricketl, and the groans Of the dying
filled the air.
"ADd your father, whose MANNED
body we laid to rest last week, was not
matched In all this land. These trust
ed you, and their blood can bctray no
trust. The only message he sent you
was, Tell him we believe him. We
will lay you beside them.
I'm few days this old, white head
will be laid next to you. Ill not 10
ashamed to be buried soon beside you,
John. You are no like the other John,
that see tho visions Of happy boyhood
while gazing into the same truc eyes
confused with these Is the pride I have
taken In my friends boy.
"After we lay these bodies In the
churchyard over the mountain, Wen
appeal this case. Well try 1t all over
again up yonder."
Then he sketched a trial before the
Great white Throne. where, "in that
glorious presence, the false witness In
dumb and the inerr1nt Judge needs
rot the aid of counsel or Of jurors"
He pictured the eagerness with which
the mother, and the calm confidence
with which the father, awaited heav.
ems veri!ct-the quick rush, the en-.
trnncing embrace Of both at the words,
mot guilty."
Taking up both hands of the prisoner.
he looked down In his face with moth.
erlike tenderness, saying In whisper
audible to all:
I'VE can wait for that! So good.by.
John. my boy"
Bowling to the Judge he took his seat,
still holding one Of the prisoners hands.
The District Attorney began a reply,
which quickly ended. after look at the
jurorr' faces. In a stamniering request
to them to do their duty. The Judges
charge WINS scattering. lie seemed to
scarcely know what he said. The jury
did not hear him. They went out. and
returned In few moments with the
verdict Of mot guilty"