Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-04-05
THE PHANTOM Voice.

ClNtluk Ou lUt ttidnud Vi Ills sum
mer residence by an inland lake in
Michigan. surrounded by his family
and guests. the venerable Judge Wat
ties told the strangest story of his
professional career.
Immediately following my admis
sion to the bar" he said. Il was made
prosecuting attorney, accepting the
honor as a deserved tribute to my
superior abilities. But you must bear
in mind that this was a good many
years ago in little valley town in
Pennsylvania. where we were hemmed
in by the mountains and had few with
whom TO compare in the matter of
Intelligence or attachments.
"In the criminal annals of the county
there were the evidences of a well
disposed community; and it came as a
startling sensation when Farmer Jen-
kins. driving home late one night,
was beaten to insensibility and robbed
of large sum of money. Here was
work for me, and went at IL with the
zeal of an ambitious beginner. Jen-
kIns insisted that he would be able
TO identify his assailant. seen in the
dim moonlight that sifted through the
trees. describing him as a tall, we'll
dressed young man with a dark mus
tache and an angry red scar across his
left cheek
why. seed that air critter.' de-
olared Constable Joe Huskey. 1 kim
Cd him sudden like Yesterday when
was fishin' at Punkey Holler crick.
TIL Teller war in swimmin' and tole
me he war jist outen the city fur
leetle recreation. I'd know him
'nongst a thousan''
by employing competent assistance
from Philadelphia. we ran down our
man. jenkins and Huskey both recog-
nized him at sight. A few days after
the arrest and while was working on
the case. 4 handsome. matronly ap-
pcaring woman walked into the Office.
Introducing herself as the mother of
g prisoner. who had given the name
u Harry Winter. She bore the unmis-
taxable marks of refinement. and in a
brief statement, punctuated by con
vulsing sobs, assured me that terri
BILE mistake had been made. Harry
was her son. her only support. and she
widow. He was the soul of honor
and had never given her an hours
anxiety. He was with her the night
of the assault and robbery They had
walked for an hour in the evening.
after which he read TO her. going to
his room at II. II was n physical
as well as a moral impossibility for
him to have done the great wrong laid
at his door Her story greatly i'm
pressed me. but there was the positive
Identification by Jenkins and the con-
stable
LESS than a week later | had an
other caller: a well dressed man who
walked with limp and who said he
had been subpoenaed by the defence
to show Winters good reputation. But
nothing could have surprised him
more. for he knew the accused to have
a very bad record. He declared that
he had a full confession OF that very
crime from thep risoner who had re
lied upon the cripple as a loyal friend
simply because they had occasion.
ally at the mothers house. This
swept away the doubts that she had
created. convincing me that her cling
ing love had overcome her regard for
the truth. I gained a promise from the
cripple that he would say nothing till
called to the stand by the other side.
When the prosecution had made
his case at the trial was entirely
satisfied. Just after Jenkins and Hus
key had sworn point blank as | knew
they would. word reached me that
there was private detective in the
: court room who wanted Winter for a
crime committed in New York. This
was help from an unexpected source.
and soon had il before the jury that
the ugly scar on Winters cheek was
made by man defending his home
against burglars. There was not a
weak link in the chain of evidence
that had been coilcd about him.
''On his behalf the testimony of the
weeping mother made a deep impress
sion, but was confident that the spell
she had put upon the ~ men sitting
in judgment would yield to the cool de-
alterations of the jury room. After
several unknown witnesses had given
testimony tending to show that Winter
haI d reputable life, the man who
had called upon me limped to the
stand. and / must confess that I re-
joiced at the anticipated confusion of
the defense.
But there was a most unaccounta.
BILE Intervention. No sooner was the
oath administered to the witness than
voice from overhead solemnly
warned him 20 remember that he had
made the Eacrcd promise before his
Maker to tell nothing but the truth.
The prisoner dropped heavily into
his chair. the jurymen went white as
ghosts and the judge cast a troubled
look about the ceiling as IL to detect
the bold offender. Order in the
court was gruffiy demanded and the
case proceeded. Tho first material
question asked was as to the charac
ter Of the prisoner, and that same