Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-10-21
! The Daily Short StoTy'
PROVED GUILTY.

Several ysars ago 1 attended the su-
perior court for the county Of -. A
case of murder was tried. The evidence
| disclosed that the deceased and the
prisoner had been drinking together
and had Quarreled; that the prisoner
had struck the deceased; that he had
sworn he would be the death of him;
| that through the intercession of the
| bystanders a petched up reconciliation
had taken place, willingly on the part
| of the deceased, doggedly by accused;
| that the deceased had started to go
| home by his usual route and that the
| prisoner had Immediately followed him,
| although his home was in contrary
| direction; that sounds of strife were
heard shortly after; that the deceased
had never again been heard of; that,
| suspicion having fallen upon the pris-
| oner. his steps upon the night of the
difficulty had been traced; that marks
| of a struggle had been found upon the
earth and drops of coagulated blood,
| and that the accused, having been ask
ed to account for the deceased, denied
| that he had ever seen him after the
moment that he left on the night of the
| difficulty.
| The defense was conducted by the
| prisoner in person, and it was evident
TO me that, although the calm and col
| Iected manner. in which it was made
| had its impression upon the judge, it
had none upon the jurors or bystanders.
| They had made up their minds as to
| his guilt and were determined that his
| life should be taken. The solicitor
general closed the case. He dwelt with
burning and bitter eloquence upon the
| crime of murder. He spoke of the cool
and deliberate manner of the prisoner
and reproached him as one who could
gloat like a cannibal over the mangled
| remains of his victim.
He dwelt with great Ininuteness,
| clearness and ingenuity upon the train
Of circumstances (which could not lie,"
and he threw a web of guilt around the
prisoner that no one doubted would in
volve him in destruction, but still the
prisoner Quailed not. The judge sum-
| med up the case to the jury, narrating
| the circumstances and unfolding the
| law. He admitted that the facts were
very strong against the accused, but
| that one material link was wanting. 1t
| had not been proved that Grimes was
dead. He concluded by admonishing
| them that they should not convict I'M
less they had sufficient evidence of that
| fact.
+. But this caution was thrown away
upon the excited feelings OF the jury,
who without retiring made up their
verdict of guilty, and the foreman was
I'm the act of signing it when the pris-
| oner again rose.
II ask permission of the court" said
| he, Ito call witness who, think, will
| relieve me of this diabolical charge, who
will prove that my hands are not red
with my brothers blood, who will show
| the improperly and danger of con-
viction upon circumstantial evidence
/ in short, who will satisfactorily con-
| vince the malignant and demonlike
heart of the solicitor general that 1 am
innocent of this crime"
Have you any objection, Mr.. Solic-
| itor General?" asked the judge.
None" responded the states at
| torney, with bitter sheer, but if he
| wishes to convince me and to save his
| neck from the gallows he had better
| produce John Grimes"
THAT is precisely the witness seek
| to Introduce" said the prisoner. MIR.
Sheriff, call John Grimes"
The proposition created great excite
| ment. Some of the bystanders laughed
| aloud. Others heaped bitter execra-
| tons upon the prisoner. The solicitor
general sneeringly asked him If he
| would have him called again. and the
| Judge was evidently fast changing his
favorable opinion of the prisoner, who.
he thought, was trifling with the court.
! turned to the culprit and was amazed
at the terrible change that had taken
place I'm his countenance. Its placidity
and composure were gone. 1t was
covered with livid spots, and immense
drops of perspiratiOn were rolling rap
idly from his brow.
Call again, in Gods namew shouted
he at the top of his voice.
The sheriff repeated the call. The
storm that had been slumbering for a
short time now burst forth with tenfold
violence. The rain beat furiously upon
the shingled roof, the wind howled and
moaned like a condemned culprit, and
several of the large pine trees that sur
rounded the building fell with a ire
mendous crash, startling the already
excited inhabitants of the courtroom.
1t was an awful scene without. 1t was
still more awful one within. The un-
earthly appearance of the prisoner. the
sudden and awful change that had
taken place I'm him, his solemn adjura-
ton and his earnest manner, all had
deeply affected the bystanders, and
many looked as if they really expected
to see the murdered man arise at the
Invocation. All were gratifed save the
lmplacable solicitor general. who sat
scowling at the accused with look of
triumph and fiendish exultation on his
countenance. The judge rallied him
self and motioned to the foreman of