Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-11-30


speak.
What is 1t. my mani said tn
Judge. STEADY yourself. ask again
have you anything to say In your owl
defencey'
"Oh, Your Honorv said the prisone
at last. II am saved-saved at the las
moment. I have already said that
was In Brisbane mt the time of the rob
berry, and there Is the man who cal
prove it."
All eyes followed the direction of hi
finger and rested upon the stranger
who started. looked confused, then ir
ritated, and finally bewildered, as IL h,
| fancied the prisoner must be mad.
IF that gentleman will answer my
+! question" resumed the prisoner, 81
think l shall be able to prove to every
one that l was In Brisbane at the tim,
l said"
The stranger shifted I'm his seat nerv
ously, and at last said In tones Of an
noyance and expostulation:
"Your honor I've never to my knowl
edge set eyes on the prisoner before
and / don't see how 1 can fix up his
innocence. Besides, guess / didn't
come here to be questioned by ever,
son of gun that holds up a mail
COACH beg your pardon, your honor
but you'll allow the annoyance Is con
siderable anyhow"
His honor admitted It was, but
straightway appealed to the strangers
best feelings on behalf Of the prisoner
until he was somewhat Modified, and
remarked, WAL, If he thinks it's
straight wire he can start in, and Ill
answer his questions. l don't mind
taking him up on that
The stranger was then sworn, and
he stood in the witness box the pris-
Oner addressed him.
Sir" he said, do you remember
on the third of July a man running af-
ter your hat in the street I'm Brisbane,
and bringing it back to you on the
pavement!"
Il can't say that I do" replied the
stranger, after "a little thought; mo, 1
can't fetch it,"
do you not remember his saying
that he was out of work and his three
children were starving? And then
can you not recall giving him sover-
eign and saying, Here's a shilling for
yOu'?"
The stranger was silent as il he
wished to remember the occurrence,
but presently he shook his head slowly
and said, mo, it's no use-you must
be installing me for some one else"
stay" erica the prisoner again, in
n voice Of terrible tension, for 1t was
his last chance. do you remember,
before giving the sovereign, that the
man told you he had fought in the Cri-
mean war and could show wounds
that he had helped his country, but
his country wouldn't help him? Yes,
you must remember his showing you
the scars-one at the back Of the head,
another on his right breast
The stranger interrupted him with a
sudden exclamation. II do. do. The
scar on your breast is long one--a sa-
bre cut. Your honor. / remember
meeting this man! l must apologize;
hiS iiiC was III anu hCuIly
let him fall through. He is the man
saw in Brisbane
There was a profound sensation in
court as the prisoner steadied himself
and wiped the cold moisture from his
brow.
Can you remember the date on
which this happened?" asked the pros
ecuting counsel.
"Ah. I'm afraid I can't" the strang-
or returned: but / know this-it was
three days after the Carlisle Castle ar
rived at Sydney, If it's possible to find
out what date that was"
The newspapers of the first week in
July were then consulted and it was
found that the Carlisle Castle arrived
at Sydney on June 30, so that three
days afterward brought it to the exact
date required.
Again there was applause in court as
the prisoner was formally acquitted.
Finally, turning toward the stranger.
the judge remarked: I'm the interests
of justice / thank you, sir; your pres
ence here to-day Is one of those re-
markable dispensations of providence
which are seldom met with"
That night the acquitted prisoner,
the American gentleman, and his serv-
ont rode through the bush in jovial
frame Of mind. For reasons best
known to themselves they wished to
put as>great distance as possible be-
tween the township and themselves
before morning; and as they went
they planned how they should hold
up the mail a second time at no very
distant date. But 1t was the last time
the trick was played successfully in
that neighborhood, for the distin-
gulshed American decamped without
paying his hotel bill; moreover, Wis
count Thurlton never arrived, and a
rat was subsequently smelt and seen
floating i'm the air Of the neighborhood
of the cont house-a rat which had
grown considerably beyond the bud
stage.