The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-11-19
sRose Hartwick Thorpe.
jUs5fINTIME i
- FOR DINNER.

SIDE from some nOted crlmlnal
/. N prosecutions which l conducted
\ several years ago, the incident
which am about to relate was one OF
the most interesting chapters IN N.Y. pro-
fessional.t life. 1t had been stormy no
vember day. During the morning the rain
had come down in torrents. Toward noon
the water began to crystalline as 1t De
scended, and all afternoon the snow had
been blowing and drifting in very un-
comfortable, way. 1t grew dark early.
Perhaps it was because of this that de-
cided to go home an hour earlier than
usual say perhaps, because have al
ways thought that providence had some
thing to do with my going out on to the
street at that moment. Passing up Broad
way | turned into Fourteenth street to
cross to the elevated railroad station.
Near the corner / encountered crowd
of men and boys, in the center of which
stood a bluecoat with a prisoner. Stand
ing on tip-toe I&saw that the prisoner
was young lad with remarkably hand
some face and gentlemanly manner. A
call had been sent in for patrol wagon,
and the policeman was waiting the re-
sponse. The hoy looked thoroughly frightH
ened As reached the spot he was pr
testing his innocence and begging to
released.
81 tell you honestly, sir, it is mistake
I know nothing of the jewelry. l am II
nocent, sir; / an,,- truly"
That's all right, you young rascal,
the policeman replied. Nobody that's az
rested. ever steals anything. But whe
we get our clutches on 'em they don
generally turn out such innocents as the
claim"
just then the patrol wagon dashed uI
two officers alighted, and the boy wa
quickly hustled up the steps of the WACO
and driven off.
what station?' asked as they drov
off toward the south. There was no RI
ply, but by walking rapidly in the dire
ton taken by the officers soon brougf
up at the Mercer street station, where.
an attorney, soon obtained an interview
with the lad whose face had SO great
interested me. When I was shown to hi
cell he, was weeping bitterly, and appea
ed to be in absolute despair.
81 saw you at the patrol box,'' said by
way of introduction, and thought would
like to find out a little more about your
case. / am a lawyer; and if you are in
nocent, as / think you must be, l will see
what can be done to get you out of this.
My name is Lawson, what is yours? p
wave of gratitude and hope swept over his
face. Then he added: s'"This is very kind
of you, sir. The whole miserable business
is a mistake / never took bit of the
jewelry; Lot bit"
Then T sat down on the cot beside
Frank and asked him to tell me all about
his trouble.
His home was in Western Vermont, he
said, and he had been in New York aSout
a year. He had come here to get start
in the world. While his success had not
been all that his fancy used to paint it.
yet, considering the hard times, he had
done very well. Once a month he had
been able to send little money to his
mother, who needed his help sorely. For
six months past he had been employed in
the shop of a manufacturing jewe,er That
day twenty valuable rings and some 9TH
er articles had disappeared from a show
case. They were missed just after the
noon hour. During that hour the work
men were always out at lunch, and Frank
and another young man named Lerch
were usually IN charge. But to-day Lerch
was sick at home, and Frank was in the
shop alone.
did you see no one about the premises
during that hour?' / asked.
mo one but Hogan the janitor''
"Was he in the room ?'
"No, am sure he was not"
'fDid you see him at all between twelve
and one%
''Yes,' said Frank, "he came to the rear
door and called me to go back and look at
a team of fine horses in the alley"
/ How long we're you out of the room ?"
] asked. - .a a, -.
mot more than two minutes"
~ "Could a person come from the front
hall during that time without your know
| ing it ~
mo-, indeed, said young Orr, earnestly;
II locked the door before l ran out to
| look at the horses"
Then if tie Jewclry asTtaken while
! Won weKe in,,charge it could have been
: take1r by 40 one but yourself" said
somewhat severely -ts=see what effect the
conclusion, would have on the prisoner.
+ ,..Itsfeeksr dad forsrhe, sir, especially sas
fohe df the e'rings was funnd; in my oyercoat
a, last faaScif fi.aSi counts counts fer nothng,'l
i.rn aHEsd, and :sssI ell me.candid!y,
Is0rygs sha Fss-oH4 no, theors upon which the
tlams ssesn sbes expfainedY
sS',:. I 5ff. T kSre .Ii9r;. it seems Very
his voice trembling perceptibly, and his
eyes again filing with tears.
50 Il, lis trile mysterious, my young
friend said, rising. But somehow
believe you are not The guilty party.
will ask the sergeant to give you more
comfortable place than this tor the night.