Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1899-05-17

1o'tse 5: III .tew York city, the other day
e G'scusS' Ag famous poisoning case,
.ay we, tne called Judge inquired
% .oaid alawyer defend man charged
tn murder when he knows the man
90 be sTilty?" This question led to
an animated discussion, which, after
some two hours, was brought to an
end by the Judge suddenly exclaim-
ans: 'Do you see that man?'
The benchers turned their faces in
the direction indicated by the speaker
just in time to see tall. lank man in
shabby attire leave the building,
Before word was spoken by auy
OF the curious benchers the Judge
said, as though musing to himself,
though IL q tone loud enough for the
others TO hear:
Strange that I should see that
man just ut this moment and when we
were discussing question that he
could have answered. His lie. like
mine, has been failure, but thank
God! my regrets, thor.gh ,nony. can
never be as bitter as bis are. He
ruined his career as LAWYER by de-
tending man who had CO Afessad that
he was guilty OF murtle.. .
''Tell us the story" exclaimed the
one known as the proc ,tor,
''He was ruined, ,esan the Judge,
''by nis ambition"
ambition. "sug sested The solicitor,
with genial s.s,ife en- his kindly,
csean-shaven iSf Q, SIS responsible for
much good and mach evil. 1t is am
bitlon that l. as made wrecks. legal
'drlftwood, OF. nanny of us. We have
dreamed OF great deeds in our profes
sion, we b sse builded fairy castles in
the ar, while others have by hard
WORK su' ;cseded. I for ONE
Inc story! the storyw exclaimed
sever 4 of the benchers.
If le judge, thus urged, told his
sto' Y:
''Some 40 years ago It was that I
'e ntered the small courthouse in a
small town in the western section OF
New York. Court vas in session, and
the hush that mad fallen upon the
crowd in the room was oppressive.
Nothing was heard at that time but
the ticking of the clock and the breath
ing OF the Spectators. The presiding
Judge WIS looking up some legal ques-
ton IN the law books before him. The
rapt attention of the jurors and the
seagerncss of the counsel caused me to
realize that trial OF more than ordi-
Nr.ry interest and Importance was in
progress. I asked bystander what
the cause on trial was. He gazed at
me in surprise for moment and then
: exclaimed: "You must be stranger
in these rarts?''
f am replied. 4 have just
come here from New York city to file
complaint in an action of ejectment.
" 'Fhis, replied my Informant, lis q
murder trial, and there, he pointed in
the direction | was to look, is the man
who will certainly hang.
81 looked at the prisoner at the
bar. He was good looking young
fellow of about % years of age. There
was something in the expression OF
his pale face, that convinced me of his
guilt
"While the trial Judge turned over
page after page Of the law books I
learned the details OF the crime.
81 learned that in his house on the
outskirts of the town, one morning
two months before the day of the trial,
John Peterkiu,a "a wealthy old man who
had been, it was said, in the habit of
keeping large sums of money in his
house, was found murdered, shot in
the back The murdered man had
been seated when he was shot, for his
chair was overturned just as he had
fallen from it. Peterkin, who was
abou G7 years old, lived alone with
his niece, pretty girl about is years
old. She it was wno discovered the
murder. When she had sufficiently re.
covered from her alarm; the niece,
Mary Peterkin, aroused the neighbors.
cat first it was thought that the
motive of the crime had been robbery,
but when the police discovered that
the safe, the door OF which was un
locked and halfway open, contained
S175O and that the old mans watch
had not been taken, that theory had
to be abandoned. For several days
the case was mystery. Then it came
to the knowledge of the chief OF police
that Hasdall Reindeer, the only son ot
widow, whose father had been post
g h. t;l41n tn, ho1 haar
seen around the house and had spoken
unkindly of old Peterkin. Reindeer
was arrested.
"When I had learned this much,
said the Judge, "the trial Judge, whom
we will call Blank, looked mp from the
legal books and said: I will admi
the testimony objected to.
"WhiIe Judge Blank was reviewing
the law questions I looked at Mar!
Peerkiu. She was seated III the rea
OF fthe courtroom and was an exceed
ingly pretty young woman, the pallo
of her refined face Illuminated By larg'
blue ewes. She was i'll deep mour&
icc. which but enhanced her beaut!
Proceed, exclaimed Judge Blank
''The witness OF the stand--a polio
officer-than testified that he hat
found small revolver with al ivor,
handle III some bushes just outside O
the window Of the room where tn
crime, had been committed.
'e-sWere there auymai!lS ON that re
volver.' asked Ho ace DASH, counse
for the prisoner-the man l jus
pointed ont to yolt.