The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-04-13

the value of infantile exhibits os n mart or
the defense. 1t is seldom "A defendant is so
poor that he cannot bring a child of his
own or porrow one 10 Sit with him while
MS lawyer pleads with the jury not to sep
arate that innocent offspring from its de-
voted parent. And it rarely fails to count.
There was Il case IN point here this week.
A stalwart specimen OF manhood was on
trial for half killing II weIl-knoyn citizen
without apparent provocation. But the de-
PENDANT was blessed with a sweet-faced
wife and four pretty little children, divided
half and half. boys and girls. the oldest
not over s or 3. AT the noon recess NJ. ID.
Campbell. who assisted the State. walked
into the office of the hotel whera the law
yers We're putting up. and growled to his
associate:
Boys. were up against it hard. Four
aces wouldn't beat that hand. We might
argue from nov till all Of Jules Verne's
dreams work out. but we'll never get that
jury past those kids. l could almost see the
tears come when Wentworth POINTED TO 'em
during his harangue.' And he sat down.
YEARLY.
An old. white-headed harrIster. who was
here looking after the interest OF some heirs
in a Virginia estate. walked over and took
a chair near him.
My friend" he said, Il can appreciate
your position. I went against the same
thing in a trial back in the Old Dominion
shortly after the war-the real war. you
know. The defendant was the town loafer,
who was supported by his wife. He way
laid a citizen and got his money. The citi-
zen never got over it. and the loafer had to
go on the scene for his life. HIS poor little
wife mortgaged the home paid for by her
own earnings and got two good lawyers.
There was no trouble in getting a change
OF venue, for every man. woman and negro
in the town knew the defendant and hated
him.
Prosecuting Attorney Of our county I
followed the case across the line and en-
gagged a man named Ballou to assist us.
Ballou was one Of those fellows who devel-
oped as you got acquainted with him.. He
was as homely as he was resourceful. which
is a high tribute to his ability. He looked
like an exhibit illustrating the Darwin the
Dry. But he. didn't mind. even II you told
him about 1t. He had a winning theory for
every proposition. and we let him take the
lead.
'.When the day of trial came the Defend
ant was on hand. fresh and clean-looking, a
condition l had never observed him in be-
fore, and his care-wcrn wife and beautiful
little daughter were sitting close to him.
Guess you've remarked the most worthless
fathers frequently have good-looking chill
dren. The defendants laughter was a typ"
of angelic girlhood often seen in America
Her hair was light and wavy. eyes blue and
sympathetic. and her skin reminded one or
South Missouri peaches. Thanks to her
mother. she was tastefully dressed and her
hair arranged to good advantage. She was
about 10. All through the trial she sat on
her fathers knee, and generally kept her
arm around his neck. . p.
"The night We were going to begin argu-
ing the case there was a serious consuita-
ton among the States attorneys. In fact,
we discussed the matter about as cheerfuily
as you have stated your predicament. We
sat there. gloomy and d~ispifted. The de-
PENDANT wisely kept off the stand and our
laid traps to inveigle admissions
as to his tyranny at home necessarily had
to he shelved.
.Flnally Ballou jumped up and said:
Boys. I've got it. If you'll promise to trust
me- OF course. We, as his associates, want
ed to know what it was. but he insisted so
earnestly that the disclosure would thwart
the scheme that we merely asked:
Feel pretty sure it'll work. Jim"
Certain as death; can't miss it. It's a
card If what you've said about the
Is true. You are sure he's a nat
ural-born coward?
Z. The worst white-livered human coyote
the State l assured him.
=. That's all l want to know. boys he
said. and he gathered up his hat and left
the room.
There was a big crowd up that night 10
hear the speaking.
"As 1 entered the courtroom i noticed
there had been some changes in the ar
rangement of the furniture, but gave 1t no
thought. By-and-by. while one of the de-
attorneys was making his perora-
ton. an impish-looking lad stuck his head
the door and yelled, as If in mortal ter
ror:
Fire, Fire, The houses on free!
Well, you may believe there was a stam-
pede. Men, women and children Witnesses,
bailiffs, and court officials lost their heads
made a simultaneous break for the
door. The Judge. however. a pluchy Old
gentleman, held his ground ana
raped for order. Among the first to enter
in the wild struggle for safety was the
He dropped the little girl. jumped
over the railing ard began squeezing
Ballou was right behind him. and
he fastened a death grip on his collar and
dragged him back pale and trembling. The
jurymen all saw this. / am certain there
were quite a number broken bones In the
hut as there was no smoke or
Are observed, the Sheriff ,and his deputies
finally succeeded in pacifying the crowd.
When 1t was learned the alarm was false
every effort was made to discover the pes-
petrator of the joke, but he was never
fourd.
The defendants counsel then undertook
10 finish his speech. but he never referred
any more to his clients affectionate us
position and the sunderinG of home ties, anu
the little girl did not seek to re-
gain her 3eat in her fathers lap. 1t began
10 dawn on me what Ballou had done. ana
he daring of the man was appalling
He explained afterwards. privately that ne
had bribed a bailir to go into the room be-
-ore court met. and remove all chairs ana
Instructions in the way of the exits. 80
rs to reduce the liability Of accidents during
he panic. Ballou closed for the state,
his was the last speech on the case.
It was late. bct the crowd was not weary.
He didn't bother much about the evidence. |
He was cunning in higher fields. He kne"
,ur evidence was all right. and he simply !
himself to screwing up the jury's
ieTve TO hang the defendant. You know
the hard hill to cross in criminal .
The average jury will seek
very possible loophoie to escape infictins !.
he death penalty. Almost at the very last