News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1902-04-02

Oakfell produced the records show
ing the settlement Of the Queyrouze
estate with the French heirs, and omit
ting any price for Leon from the pro-
ceeds of the sale of slaves, and the
deed, Joined in by Quillebert, for Olive
and her three children, excepting Leon
from the sale.
BY Father Grhe and Valsin Mouillot
he proved the admission of Quillebert,
made at unsuspicious times, that Leon
was not his slave.
On the part of Quillebert, Pratjean
exhibited the inventory of the Quey-
rouze estate, in which the child Leon
was appraised as an asset.
Jadot, Brille and Titbout testified to
Icons admissions of Quillebert's own
ership of him, as they had promised
over the gumbo and rum at Dede's.
The distress of Leonidas Latiolais
was so apparent that the pity of all
feeling men went to him when he was
summoned to the witness chair and
made to state under oath that on the
day Of the memorable race between the
mares of Judge Elgee and Quillebert
Leon said he was the slave of guile
bert and begged him Qatiolais) to buy
him. In an unhappy moment he had
communicated to Quillebert the jock
ey's application to him, and that indie
fatigable casemaker had by dint of per-
sistency, wine and accommodations of
card debts argued from his memory
the ''if' prefxed to Icons prayer.
Oakfell made no effort to replace it.
This closed the evidence for guile
bert.
There was no more striking contrast
In the entire proceeding than that be-
tween the arguments of the two advo-
Gates.
Oakfell's'was calm, direct, unimpas-
stoned and devoid of appeal to the emo
lions. He relied solely and simply up
on a literal application Of the article
of the code which he thought rendered
judgment in his clients favor unavoid-
able. From Nine. Noreau's cottage
Estelle eagerly listened, catching only
at times the sound of his voice, but
never a distinguishable word.
Pratjean's dry, harsh voice veXed the
ears of the assemblage within and rat
tied upon those without for an hour
and half. Laure heard every syllable,
and often her pretty brown hands beat
together in approval. He read copious-
ly from French commentators upon the
impossibility Of courts entertaining the
pleas of persons not sui juris. He
quoted numerous decisions by the state
supreme court declaring emancipation
necessary to clothe one born in slavery
with the quality of sutton and magni-
fed into political significance the in-
slant cause which. he said the pesti-
lent abolitionists throughout the north
and their secret confederates in our
midst were watching with unseeping
eyes, for it was the first of series of
mines they had laid for the cestruc-
ton of southern society. He warned
the judge against lending the aid of
the law and courts Of Louisiana to
those enemies of the Union, those as
sassins of Caucasian civilization.
In these flights he hoped from place
to place and threw his arms about in a
maze of gesticulation which served his
utterances as an obligato accompani
ment supports a wild song of passion.
Had be spoken no word his pantomimic
art would have conveyed an ineligible
address. Indeed it is said of his class
in Louisiana that if deprived of the
power of gesture their speech would
not be understandable to one another.
His voice at times broke into falsetto
tones maddening to the sensitive ear
but his oratory was effective, and it
was difficult for the sheriff to suppress
the applause which repeatedly broke
from the left and the spellbound groups
in the yard.
Oakfell was unaffected by this dis
play. His reply was practically repe-
tition of his opening speech, reiteratng
his dependence upon the plain meaning
of the article Of the code. He con-
cluded by declaring him an enemy to
the state who would describe an appeal
to the courts of the land for freedom
as a political menace to the common
wealth.
1t was 4 o'clock in the afternoon
when the speeches were concluded. |
The judge announced that he would
give his decision at and left the |
bench.
Oakfell, Father Grhe, Baldouino and |
Jewett induced their friends to remain |
in and about the court, while the high |
landers FASTENED to the cabarets TO |
give a noisy ovation to their Mirabeau. |
The frequent shouts of Magnificent!
Grand! Glorious" which rose from |
those places evinced the happiness of |
Pratjean's admirers under the inspira-
ton of unlimited absinth anisette.
AT the appointed hour all resumed |
their places of vantage, and, while the
tension under which enforced silence |
put them was painfully visible, there
was about Pratjean, Quillebert and |
their supporters an unmistakable air
of confidence that the victory was
with them. Pratjean's grand effort |
had removed every lingering doubt
from their minds.
First the sheriff came out of the
judges retiring room, left the building
and in a moment or two returned. He
taDDed the courthouse bell three times