Evening journal., 1898-01-11

and make what seemed certain convic-
ton a point for triumphant acquit-
tai.
"O'Brien once had a client who was
on trial for murder and all the evil
dence had apparently gone to show con,
clusively that malice and the coolest
Of deliberation had prompted the pris-
oner to take the life of the victim. He
had administered poison. The elements
of the deadly drug had been taken from
the decedent's stomach, and on being
analysed were found to be identical
with the remainder of the poison IN /
the bottle, which was offered in evil |
dence and which stood before the eyes !
of the jury. The horrld skull and |
crossbones glared from the side of the |
bottle, which was turned toward the |
12 men who were soon to decide whether |
the prisoner at the bar was to live or
TO be swung into eternity. The court |
room was crowded with an interest
cd throng, which was at a loss to know
what sort of an attempt O'Brien could
possibly make in behalf Of his client.
"The states attorney was just about
to close his opening argument and in
q few moments more the attorneys who
had never lost a case would certainly
meet his Waterloo. But O'Brien was
not to give up without struggle. Ne
cessity inspired him, and hehad already,
before the evidence was completed, pre-
pared an outline of the manner In
which he would approach the jury.
'O'Brien knew a physician, an ex-
| pert chemist, whomlhe could trust, and
this man had examined the poison, and
the attorney knew toowell from his lips
that it would kill him. Furthermore,
he knew it was this drug that had
killed the personsfor whose murder his
client was on trial. O'Brien called this
doctor into the seclusion.of n privnte
room and said:
Doctor, this isia desperate case. Tell
me candidly and to a certainty how
long 1 can live after drinking the re-
mainder of the poison in that bottle?"
"'Why, OBrien, you ucouldn't tlive more
than three INMATES.
''The face of the great criminal law
yer lighted up and he sawlhope that he
might yet win the case.
"'Three minutes said he, that is
enough
''Then it was. finally arranged that
the doctor should be in'waiting for the
attorney after the latter had got
through with his argument. He took
station in an adjoining room, where
0'Brien could quickly reach him and
waited with his preparations to coun-
teract the poison. The states attorney
closed his argument with an apparent
triumph, the hangmanss rope was al
most dangling before the eyes of the
prisoner. Everyone in The courtroom
eraned his neck as O'Brien rose and
faced the jury. All were surprised to
see the calm and confident look which
clothed his face. 1t seemed impossible
that he could have any hope of acquib-
tai or even of saving his clients life.
lie paid more attention to the medical
witnesses than he did to the others and
labored to break down their testi-
mony.
"kfter apretty good argument from
the facts which he had to work upon
he drew his address toward a.close ands
picking up the bottle which contained
the remainder of the drug, lseld it so
the IL mem could see it.
Now, gentlemen,' said the attorney,
as he paused and significantly looked
at the bottle, Just to show you that
this is not the deadly poison which the
witnesses for. the state have said n is,
[ will drink ihand prove'thatitis is harm
less
''There wasn't a person in the room
whose hair did not stand on end and the
people sat as smotionless.as if death had
grasped them. O'Brien, confident and
composed raised the bottle to bis lips,
drained il to the bottom, SET it on the
table and, as coolly as if he had been
slipping wine, turned TO the men in
whose hands the life of the lprisoner
rested and said:
Gentlemen of the jury, i thank you
very kindly for the attention which you
have given to my argument
'rhen, making a graceful bowA he
walked quietly from the room. -nhis
much the jury and audience saw, but
I the physician in waiting knew the re vt
, By the use of antidotes, emetics aLN-
: skillful use of the stomach-pump, h 4
had in a few minutes removed all the
poison from O'Brien's stomach and
quickly the lawyer came back into the
e room, coolly sat down and listened to
r the closing and disjointed remarks Of
he prosecuting attorney.
! "Tbe jury retired. It had believed
= that the bottle contained poison, but
: 0'Brien had taken it and was not dead.
: How could 1t be? Anger, malice pre-
pense, deliberate murder, long-plotted
homicide, every element of criminal in
tent vanished at the thought that
= 0'Brien was still alive. In five minutes
/ after they had retired the 10 men re-
{. turned a verdict of not guilty. OBrien
Is dead, but to-day the murderer walks
the streets of Chicago. Chicago News.