Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-01-25

tne mystellouS Stranger. Inc guest
kept the whole household in roar oil
laughter, made the chills creep up the
spine or the blood tingle at some
stirring tale.
In the evening the stranger enter
tanned the loungers about the hotel and
soon the lobby of the country hostelry
was crowded each night with men who
came to laugh or wonder at the guests
stories. At the end of three months
the man with the black sombrero had
made friends with every man, woman,
and child in Winnebago County.
He continued his daily visits, he
praised the farmers stock, he paid
delicate compliments to the rosy.
checked daughters, he had words of
admiration for the grandmothers'
needlework, he smacked his lips and
said he had never tasted such butter.
He swore by all the stars that he had
never seen such fine colts as the farm
er's boy had raised from the foal His
genial ways won the confidence of all.
He acted as arbitrator in family dis
putes and made friends of both sides,
and chased away the clouds with the
magic of his speech.
At the end of five months every
man, woman and child in Winnebago
would have almost walked through fire
and water for the winning stranger.
Six months drew around and the
stranger was still there, AMI Bibb's
case was called.
There hadn't been a murder trial in
the county for years, and never one of
such absorbing interest as this.
The farmers drove in from miles
about. They brought their wives and
children and lunch, and hitched their
heavy farm teams to tho Court House
Square railing.
The courtroom was iammed to the
doors and boys hung like monkeys to
the window lodges, trying to get
peep within.
The stern tattoo of the bailiff's ham
mer silenced the excited tones of con-
versation. The clerk called Bibb's
case.
"Guilty or not guilty?" asked the
judge.
mot guilty" said old Bibb.
"Are you ready for trial?"
81 am.''
"HaVe you lawyer?"
81 have none. 1 will defend my
SELF" was Bibb's resolute answer.
There was stir in the crowd and
from out of it stepped the man with
the black sombrero.
'"This man has q lawyer!' exclaimed
the stranger, in a voice which had al
most challenge in it. ''I'll defend
him."
"Who are you?" asked the Judge.
Facing now court, now audience,
the man with the sombrero replied in
dramatic tones:
''Back in Ohio they call me Tom
Corwin. Tom Corwin is my name.
Years ago, when L was barefooted
boy on the tow-path, this man Bibb
befriended me. He took me by the
hand and led me to higher and broader
paths. Anything L am in life owe
to old Bibb. He was my friend when
/ needed friends most OF all. He was
friend such as few poor boys have
been blessed with. And when they
told me back in Ohio that old Bibb
was in trouble, saddled my roam mare
and 1 rode at once to Winnebago
County, and [ have been here ever
since, and I intend to stay here until
the steel doors of your Jail are thrown
open and Bibb walks out free mani
The great audience broke into ap.
plause at the words of the famous
Ohioan.
"Why, that's the man that took din.
ner with US last week." said one old
farmer.
81 swan if that amt the same fel.
ler what told such fine stories down
ter the le-house," said another.
81 always knew he was some great
man."
"And SO it war Tom Corwin what
said we had the best bay mare in the
whole deestrick. added another.
"We are ready for trial." said Cor
win when the gavel had restored some
semblance of order, and he laid his
hand on the shoulder OF his benefac-
tor and with head thrown back and
with shoulders squared glanced about
as though he had thrown down a
gauntlet and looked to see who dared
pick it up.
The work of securing jury com.
menced at once. OF the twelve men
selected every one was Tom Corwin's
sworn friend-and it couldn't have
been otherwise, as he had bound all
men in Winnebago County to him
with those magnetic ways which had
made him most beloved to all
Ohioans.
Corwin knew every phase of the
shooting and just whom to call to the
stand, for he had heard the case dis
cussed and rediscussed in a hundred
farmhouses. He tried the case as
only great lawyer can try case. The
jury, after brief deliberation, filed
back to their seats and the foreman
said: "Not guilty"
The second murder indictment was
quashed and s'the steel doors of the
jail were thrown open and Bibb
walked out free man."
Corwin bod oaucad a onmplato