The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-22
THE TRIAL ENDS TO-DAY
CHARGED WITH BETRAYAL OF
HIS SWEETHEART.
He ADMITS THAT He DECEIVED HER
The State Proves That in More Than One
Instance the Defendant Tried to Bride
Witnesses to Traduce
Miss Hester.

ut would have been better for that
fellow if he'd stayed in Texas; he's GER
tain to wear stripes was the comment
of man who sat in the court house
yesterday and heard Thomas Robertson
testify in his own behalf in the case
against him for the seduction of Miss
Julia Hester, under promise of marriage.
He cut himself off, in his evidence,
from every avenue of escape that had
been left him.W careless word and idle
manner he told of his acquaintance and
association with Miss Hester; how he
had told her he loved her, but he denied
that he had ever promised to marry her.
He said he had never loved her i'll that
way: he only cared for her because she
submitted to his embraces. Robertson
acknowledged that he wrote her letters
from Texas, protesting his undying love,
asking her forgiveness and telling her
he was coming back and marry her. But
he said that when he thus wrote he was
not telling the truth and he was only
trying to induce her to come to Texas
and live with him. He acknowledged
their Illicit relations, but said he had al
ways thought her a woman of bad char
acter.
1t was such things as the above-there
were many other admissions of the same
kind-that showed Thomas Robertson
to be a most depraved wretch, capable
not only of blasting the prospects and
wrecking the life of the woman who
loved him, but of trying to further
blacken her character and disgrace her
name in order to shield himself.
To this end a number of his relatives
swore that to their personal knowledge
Miss Hester was of bad character. 1t
was proved by the State, however, that
on more than one occasion Robertson
had tried to bride witnesses to swear to
this effect.
Altogether the investigation has placed
the defendant in a pretty bad plight and
the further it went the deeper in the
mire he got.
The taking of testimony was concluded
late yesterday afternoon, two entire
days having been consumed. Between
twenty-five and thirty witnesses have
been introduced on each side and some
of them were recalled three or four times.
After the conclusion of the evidence
argument by counsel began. The State
is represented by Solicitor Pou, Judge
Boykin, Mr.. Armistead Jones and Mr.
Ryan. The defendants lawyers are
Col. Argo, Messrs. r. Fl. Battle, w. b.
Snow. and w. G.. Douglass. Only Judge
Boykin spoke yesterday. The others
will deliver their arguments to-day. 1t
is understood that there will be three
speeches on each side.
Judge Boykin's speech yesterday was
a very able one. He reviewed carefully
the law touching seduction and pointed
out it's application to the case on trial,
reviewed rapidly the evidence and pre-
sented with powerful effect the States
contention in the matter at issue. His
reference to the young lady, whose life
had been ruined, was truly pathetic,
while his denunciation of the man re-
sponsible for her condition was scath-
ing.
'There is such thing as heart-break-
ing, and Julia Testers heart is broken
to-day. Her life is ruined, blackened,
dsgraced. A verdict from you will help
tighten her load.
"Her betrayer acknowledges that he
was trying to deceive her-says that he
never intended to marry her. Now he
comes into court, buttressed by kinsmen,
by bribed and perjured witnesses-oh,
God, / regret to say it-by men bribed
to perjure themselves and blacken her
name. And not only hers, but that of
his own child, who lies in an unknown
grave-a grave dishonored and beside
which the father has never placed a
flower, no doubt has never seen. Such
brazen depravity is seldom seen in this
land.
.'If the law in this case is INDICATED
it will be many a day before such a
wretch as Thos. Robertson will again
undertake. such an adventure. Virtue
cries out for vindication; the character
of young womanhood in this land cries
out for justice; every mother appeals
to you to protect her daughter; every
father to guard the good name of his
home, the happiness of his family. Will
this appeal be in vain? God forbid, l
cannot believe it."
Court meets again this morning at 8
O'clock, at which time the argument of
counsel will be resumed.
SUMMER HOUSE AT PARK.