The Scranton chronicle. (Scranton, Miss.) 1897-19??, 1900-11-24
The Way That Truth Crept In
By Charles s. jones.

work than he could perform, and then
getting through with it brilliantly.
On going into court one morning
he hurriediy besought me to take a
case of his, "a very simple affair."" he
said. | yielded. and within two min
utes found myself charged with one
of the most difficult defenses that ever
harrister attempted.
The facts were simple, terribly
simple. Ny client-awkward, good
looking, but not very intelligent
was the IN of a farmer. He had left
his home, and now stood arraigned
for bnrgli riously entering his fathers
house, while that father was away in
London. and attempting to open an
iron safe, which was kept, of all queer
places in the world, in the pantry.
But the great, the strongest fact
against us was that the testimony OF
my clients own mother was to be
given against her son.
She told in her hushed voice and
gasping tones how she had been
aroused during the night by serv-
ant; how, hearing noise below, she
had gone down alone-the girl being
too frightened to accompany her
how she had then seen her boy, the
darling of her heart, fumbling at the
door of the safe, and how, seeing her,
he had turned and fed through the
open window.
Now it struck me as being curious
that woman who had given evidence
with such obvious reluctance against
her son should have done so yolun-
tarily. Something some fact or some
person, it seemed to me, must have
compelled her to say it was her son
she saw.
The next witness was business
like girl, who gave her evidence with
out the least reluctance. She stated
that on hearing noise she had
aroused her mistress and allowed her
to descend alone. AS her mistress did
not return, however, she summoned
another servant. and together they
went downstairs to find their mistress
in a swoon. Then, just as the crown
counsel was sitting down, she added,
in an unhappy burst of self-import-
ance:
''And next day gave information
to the police
Indeed" said I. rising quickly,
and what did you tell them?"
Il told them that missis had gone
down during the night and found
Master Rupert (the prisoner) trying
to open the safe"
Immediately l shot the question at
her: "And where did you get your
information and, at once, her man.
ner changed. She hesitated, red
dened, stammered: then. with a sud
den instinct, she pointed to where the
prisoners mother was sitting.
''She told me-" said the girl.
Then striking scene followed. The
prisoners mother rose slowly, and
said:
II never told her, my lord What
the girl says is not true. / would
have told no one unless / had been
compelled"
when do you say your mistress
told you this?' asked.
About IL o'clock next morning."
the girl answered.
"And at what time did you COM
municate with the police?"
"About two"
"Whom did you tell meanwhile7"
mo one"
"Whatl You went about knowing
the guilty party, and never speaking.
AT least you told your fellow serv-
ants?"
1--WE knew it," she said.
"Knew it," l shouted, ironically;
"knew it was the prisoner who had
tried to open the safe. Pray how did
you know it if you did not see the
act committed?"
Il mean that when we heard that
there had been burglary we thought
that Master Rupert had done it,"
"Why?" l asked.
"Because"-she Master
Rupert had ran away from home and
did not trust him"
in fact" I said, .you did not like
him?"
NO." said the girl, then stopped
and bit her lip.
Again / asked her WHY.
He came between me and his
brother" she answered, hctly and de-
family.
"His brother! This is the first we
have heard of his brother" and
turned to the crown counsel, whose
features had look of unruffied pla-
cidity. Then to the girl l said:
"And where was his brother on the
night this burglary took plaee?"
That the question touched home L
saw in an instant. The girl paled and
trembled, but she answered steadily:
81 do not know"
Something told me the other broth
er was the pivot on which the whole
case turned. / let the girl go, and
asked that the mother might be re-
called, deploring meanwhile the fact
that had had no opportunity of con-
sulting my client.
- She entered the box with look of
1opging on her face, as though I
4l8ht after all be able to do some
Wnk fQr her son. ] asked the moth
Ten her son had left home.
SF9n7S son2r she said. Il have