The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-10-01
PROVING AN AIIIDT.
How WeIl-Actcd Tale Cleared the
Prisoner.


The clcvcrest attorney that ever heard
OF 'Slid oConncD was one Chrrklcv r,-
miliarly known by the name of "t,hnc1,
odd"
Chcckley was agent once at the Cork :,s
sizes for FELLOW accused of burglary ana
The noted Jerry Keller was counsel for
me prisoner. against whom the charge was
hlhue out by the rlrarcst circlnstantjul
rvidcncc-so clearly that 1t seemed quite In,
possible to doubt his guilt
When the case for the prosecution closed
the judge asked If there were any witursse.
for the defense.
Eyes. my lord" said Jerry Keller, II
have three bricfed to me-"
call them said the Judge
Chccklcy mmcd alrly hustled out of court
and returned at once leading In a very re-
spectacle farner-ikc man, with a blue
coat and gilt buttons. scratch wig. cordu-
roy tights. ana gaiters. "'rhis is Il witness
to character, my lord" said ChcckIey
Jerry Keller Uhc cnunsrD forthwith be-
gan to examine the " tncss
You know the prisoner in the dock?"
said Keller.
eyes, your honor ever since he was n ros
soon"
And what is his general chnrnctcr?" said
Keller.
"Oh, the ID a worse"
why, what sort of witness il this
you've brought?" cried Keller, p,ssionntciy
nlnging down his brief and looking furously
at checkley: che has ruined u.s."
lie may prove an alibi. however" whis-
r.rcd Checklcy: Examine him as to alibi"
Keller accordingly resumed his cxamlna-
ton
where was the pr soncr on the 10th in
Stant?" said he.
"Iic was near Castlcmartyr." answered
the wines.
Are you sure of that?"
quite sure. counselor"
GLOW do you know w tn such certainty ?"
'I'ccausc upon that very night | was re-
turning from the fair. and when got near
my own house saw the prisoner II little
way on before mc--I'd swear to him ANY,
where. He was lodging about, and 1 knew
It could be for no good end. So I stepped
into the field and turned off my horse to
F.. grass; and while | was watching the lad
| from behind the ditch I saw him pop
| across the wall into my garden and steal n
| lot of plrsn ps and carrots, and. what ]
! thought great deal worse OF, he stole
brand new English spade had got from my
landlord, Lord shan"nn. So, faIx. on
him. But next day my spade was seen.
surely In his house; and that's the same
rogue In the dock. lwish | had {: hout Of
| him"
| at Is quite evident, 4" said the judge, chat
We must ac4uit the prisoner; the witness
| has clearly established an alib for him.
CAstlrmartyr Is nearly sixty miles from
! Bantry and he certainly is anything but a
partisan OF his. Then" addressing the wit
ness. will you swear Information against
| the prisoner for his robbery of your prop
| crty?'
"rroth. ! will. my lord with all the pleas
| urc in life. II your lordship thinks ! can get
any satisfaction out Of him. I'm told I ca
| for the spade. but not for the carrots and
| pnrsnips."
eco to the crown Office and swear infor-
nation" said the judge.
| The prisoner was. of course. discharged
| the alibi having been clearly established
| In an hours time some inquiry was made
| as to whether Chccklcy's rural witnes had
| informations in the crown office. That
| gentleman was not to be heard Of: the
prisoner had also vanished Immediately or
being discharged, and, Of course resume
| his malpractice forthwith.
1t needs hardly to be told that Lord Shan.
non's so!-d!sant tenant dealt little In fic.