Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1899-09-21
A JUDGES STORY.

"ShOGld lawyer Geltnd Il mdH
charged with murder when IL knows
the man to be guilty." This question
led to an animated discussion, which,
after some two hours, was brought TO
an end By the judge suddenly exciaim.
ing, "Do you see that Lan :"
The benchers turned their faces in
the direction indicated BY the speaker
just in time to see a tall, lank man in
shabby attire leave the building.
Before a word was spoken by any of
the curious benchers The judge said, as
though musing to himself, though in
tone loud enough for the others to hear;
"Strange that l should see that man
Just at this moment and when we were
discussing a question that he could
have answered. His life like mine, has
been failure; but, thank God, my re
grets. though many, can never be as
hitter as his are. He ruined his career
as lawyer by defending man who
had confessed that he was guilty OF
murder.
Tell rs the story" exclaimed the
one known as the proctor
"He was ruined, began the judge
''by his ambition.
"Ambition, suggested the solicitor,
with genial smile on his kindly, clean
shaver face, lis responsible for much
good and much evil. 1t is ambition
that has made wrecks, legal driftwood
of many of us. We have dreamed OF
great deeds in our profession; we have
builded fairy castles in the air, While
Others have by hard work succeeded. l
for one
The story, the story exclaimed
several of the bcnchers
The Judge, thus urged, told his story
"Some 40 years ago it was that | en-
tered the small courthouse in small
town in tie western section of New
York. Court was in session, and the
hush that had fallen upon the crowd in
the room was oppressive Nothing was
heard at that time but the ticking OF
the clock and the breathing Of the spec
tators. The presiding judge was look
ing UP some legal question i'll the law
books before him. The rapt attention
of the Jurors and the eagCrness Of the
counsel caused me to realize that trial
of more than ordinary interest and i'm
portance was in progress. ! asked by
stander what the case on trial was. lie
gazed at me in surprise for moment
and then exclaimed, You must be a
stranger in these part>?'
81 am, | replied. 1 have just come
here from New York city to file Il com
plant in an action Of ciectmcnt.
- This, replied my informant, is a
murder trial, ana there. he pointed in
the direction was to look, is the man
who will certainly hang.
Il looked at the prisoner at the bar
He was a good looking young fellow
about % years Of age There was some
thing 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 l learn
ed the details of the crime.
Here the story teller took a nip from
the flask the proctor handed to him
and then resumed:
Il learned that in his house on the
outskirts Of the town, one morning two
months before the day Of the trial
John PctcrI;in. wealthy old man, who
had been. it was said, in the habit OF
keeping large sums IF. money in his
house. was found murdered, shot i'll the
back. The murdered man had been
seated when he was shot, for his chair
was overturned Just as he had fallen
from it. Pctcrkin, who was about 81
wears old, lived alone with his niece, a
pretty girl about Is years old. She 1t
was who discovered the murder. When
she had sufficiently recovered from her
alarm, the niece Mary Peterkin, aroused
the ncighbors.
"At 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 unlocked
and half way open, contained 81 100
and that the old man. watch had not
been taken, that theory had to be aban-
doned. For several days the case was
mystery. TLCn it came to the knOwl-
edge Of the chief of police that Hascall
Reindeer, the only son of a widow,
whose father had been postmaster of
the little town. had been seen around
the house and had spoken unkindly of
old Peterkin. Reindeer was put under
arrest.
"When l had learned this much, "
said the judge, "thc trial judge. whom
we will call Blank, looked up from the
legal books and said, i will admit the
testimony objected to.
"While Judge Blank was reviewing
the law questions | looked at Mary
Peterkin. She was seated in the rear Of
the courtroom and was an exceedingly
pretty young woman, the pallOr Of her
refined face illumined by large blue
eyes. She was in deep mourning. which
but enhanced her beauty.
&" Proceed, exclaimed Judge Blank.
The witness on me StdrQ-a ponce
officer-then testified that he had found
a small revolver with an ivory handle
in some bushes just outside cf the win
dow of the room where the crime had
been committed.
:" Were there any marks on that re-
yolver? asked Horace Dash, counsel for
the prisoner, the man | just pointed
out to you.
Yes, replied the witness.
What were the marks:
90 The initials VI. p, replied the
witness.
e" Did you ascertain who owned that
pistol?' asked Lawyer Dash.
Yes; Mary Peterkin.'
can exclamation Of surprise went
around that little courtroom. Mary
Peterkin started up in bewilderment