The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1899-04-25

he asked the next question.
Did you eve hear Miss Peterkir
threaten her uncle2'
"'I heard her say once that she
wished he vas dead, replied the wit
ness.
with a moan of anguish Mary Pc.
terkin tainted. The prisoner started
forward and, despite the efforts of the
bailiffs to restrain him, exclaimed:
This is a shame. I am guilty, and
that manipulating his finger at Law
yer Horace Dash-'knows that 1 am.
"'What does this mean2' asked
Judge Blank, addressing the prisoners
counsel, who was leaning on the table
and seemed about to faint.
"tI don't know, your honor replied
the lawyer, who was seen to press his
hand to his heart.
Let the trial proceed, said Judge
Blank, and don't let that woman, in
dicating Mary Peterkin, leave this
room.
'Stopi' exclaimed the prisoner. i
withdraw my plea of not guilty. / am
guiltyr
"For a moment silence, oppressive
silence, reigned supreme. Finally the
judge said, DO you appreciate your
position-that I can pass sentence of
death on your
i do, replied the prisoner, with a
defiant look at his counsel, but 1 would
like to say a few words
Proceed, sir, said Judge Blank.
i committed the crime, your hon
OF, but not from desire for gain. It was
done in a moment Of anger, just anger,
and for the sake of my dear old mother.
Years ago my mother, SO that she might
pay some debts I contracted while in
college, mortgaged her farm-the home
where she wa born, the home that she
went to as a happy wife, the home
where l was born-to old Peterkin.
Each year since then she paid to him
usurious interest. Finally there came a
day when he would not renew the mort
gage. That was the day I killed him. 1
pleaded with him, but in vain. He in
sisted he would ~foreclose the mortgage.
He called my mother a vile name. l
saw the revolver on his desk, picked it
up and aimed at him. He wheeled
around in his chair toward his desk, and
the bullet entered his back.
"While he was telling this story the
prisoner several times pressed his hand
to his left side and moaned as if in pain.
Have you anything else to say2
asked Judge Blank.
Eyes; / want to say, explained the
prisoner in gasping tones, that after l
had retained that lawyer'-pointing to
Horace Dash-I told him I was guilty;
that l wanted to plead guilty. He for
babe my doing SO. Said it was a SPLEEN
did case. He would acquit me and cover
himself with glory. He said he would
ask no fee. I urged that l was guilty,
but he said he could clear me | con-
sented to the plea of not guilty
again the prisoner placed his hand
to his heart and with an effort said:
1 could not save my life at the expense
of an innocent person, and that person
a oma I am guilty.
"He sank back into a chair, and
Judge Blank turned to Horace Dash.
the prisoners counsel, and asked:
What have you to say for your
self2'
81 did my duty-my plain duty
said the lawyer. AS / understand it, it
is a lawyers duty to defend his client
and to acquit him as best he can
Not at the expense Of an innocent
person, remarked Judge Blank.
I maintain it is, replied the law
yer. Although a prisoner may con-
fess guilt, he may be innocent. He
might be insane when he confessed. He
might be actuated by a desire to save
at the expense of his life a guilty per
son. He might
81 am guilty. shouted the pris-
oner. 4 did it. l did it. T.
"He fell backward on the counsel's
table, gasped, and after a few convul-
sive movements attempted to rise, fell
back, twisted half around, and his soul
passed to a higher tribunal. Judge
Blank, after ascertaining that the pris-
at the bar was dead, said, 4 ac-
cept his plea of guilty"
The teller of this story then added:
s3The man who SO strangely passed be-
fore me today was the prisoners law
yer. He never prospered at the bar.
His career was ruined with the cas-
which he hoped would earn him fame. y
New York Sun.