The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-10-26
81 Cl !, ] = Jsnes.

~ AA8 SAS WcSlSIU sClTCulLs - aCIeO
on occasions % junior to sergt. saun-}
ders, 9 man notorious for taking more
work than be. could perform, and then
getting through with It brilliantly.
On going into court one morning
he hurriedly besought me to take Z
case Ct his, = very simple affair."" he
said. yielded, and within two min
utes found myself charged with one
Of the most difficult defenses that ever
barriater attempted. | =. az 5s!5 !
The facts were simple, terribly
simple. Ny cliert-awkward, good
looking, but not very intelligent
was the son of farmer. He had left
his home, and now stood arraigned
for burglariously entering his father's
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.,
And, indeed, II was . pathetic sit
uation. TO see the little old woman,
ashenagray and lettering, not daring
to meet the prisoners mild glance;
not daring. even to. raise her head, it
was the cruelest sight have ever
witnessed. IT. 80
She told in her hushed voice and
gaspfng tones how she had been
aroused during the night by a serv-
ant; how, hearing a 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 volun-
tarily. Something, some fact or some
person, it seemed to me, must have
compelled her to. say it was her son
she saw.
Accordingly, though not cross-ex-
aiming the mother, I requested leave
to reserve my right to ask her a few
questions later and obtained re-
luctant consent from the judge.
This fact, and the contents of the
safe being still a mystery, babe me
hope; the two first CLEANS of light in
a terribly black case.
The next witness was . business
like girl, who gave her evidence with
out the least reluctance. She stated
that on hearing a 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 swoon. Then, just as the crown
counsel was sitting down, she added,
in an unhappy burst of self-import-
ance:
"And next day 1 gave information
to the police"
Indeed" said I. rising quickly,
and what did you tell them?'
II told them that missis had gone
down during the night and found
Master Rupert (the prisoner) trying
to open the safe.'
Immediately I 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 sud-
den instinct, she pointed to where the
prisoners mother was sitting.
.'She told me-" said the girl.
. Then a striking scene followed. The
prisoners mother rose slowly, and
said:
II never told her, my lord. What
the-girl says is not true. I would
have told no one unless I had been
compelled
''When do you say your mistress
told you this?" I asked.
about II o'clock next morning,"
the girl answered. p.
"And at what time did you com.
municate with the police?" .--
"About two"
"Whom did you tell meanwhile?"
mo one"
"What! You went about knowing
the guilty party, and never speaking.
At least you told your fellow serv-
ants?"
I'VE knew it," she said. ....
.."Knew it," I shouted, ironically;
"knew it was the prisoner who had
tried to open the safe. Pray how did
you know it il you did not see the
oct committed?"
IT mean we guessed it," she an
swered.
"1n FACT" 1 said, sneering, "you
expected it?"
"Y-.e-s," said the girl.
Twill you kindly tell us why?" I
asked.
Then the real character of the girl
revealed itself. Easy and confident
when first she went into the box, now
difficulty had to be faced she broke
down. She burst into tears, her sobs
resounding through the court. When
she had regained her composure,
repeated my question. and this time
got an answer. -. sT -.
II mean that when we heard that
there had been burglary we thought
that Master Rupert had done it,"
a. ''Why?' I asked. -
"Because"-she faltered- Master
Rupert had ran away from home and
I did not trust him."
I'm fact" I said, "you did not like
him?" $..a. -:%+%s
~ mo-" said the girl, then stopped
and III ha1. lin -. 4.