Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-07-26

~ attorney LUZ lhS StotS hee
grown severe and eloquent in urging
conviction. The jury had remained in
retirement all the morning and at last
had filed in and rendered their YER
dict. David Buckley. the prisoner at
the bar, was found guilty Of having
deliberately and in the night stolen
bale Of cotton from neighbors barn,
branded it as his own and taken 1t to
market the next day.
He was a short, thickset man near
the age Of sixty-gray. stiff haired and
sIIlen faced, and just now more an
cry, it was thought, at certain neigh
bors who had testified against him
than chagrined at the verdict Of the
court He glanced at his wife, who
sat against the railing behind him, and
then stared steadily at the floor till
the sheriff came and led him back to
Jail.
Later In the afternoon he was
brought back to receive his sentence.
The Judge, a tall, powerful man. dark
Of hair and eye and as brown as q
Spaniard. was about to order him to
stand up when Hiram Hillyer, u well
to do cotton and grain merchant OF
the town, rose and begged permission
to speak to the Judge in private before
the prisoner was sentenced.
"Well, reckon we've got time, Mr..
Hillyer," the judge said pleasantly.
"If it's anything in Buckley's favor I'd
like to hear it. I've been on the bench
seven years, and I don't think I ever
had a man before me that was painted
as black by his neighbors."
Making his way through the cluster
of lawyers and students Of the law
around the stove to one Of the vacant
Jury rooms, the merchant waited for
the Judge to join him, and when he
came Hillyer, nervously pulling at his
short, gray beard, faced him, an eager
look in his mild blue eyes.
'I'm afeard it amt nothin' in the
old mans favor, Judge Moore" he fal-
tered. "The truth is, I'm a-thinkin'
about his son. Judge, eff thar ever
was a finer, more honest an upright
boy than George Buckley, hain't nev-
er run across i'm"
"Oh, you can't tell me anything about
George" said Judge Moore. "He and
I are friends. He voted for me and
legged for me in the Upper Tenth dis
trict. All, so he sent you to me, did
he? Well, what does George want?
1 was glad he wasn't in court to hear
all that stuff against his daddy"
You see, we thought-me'n' George
both thought that maybe you mought
justice mought be carried out by Inn
posin a pretty heavy fine. an" -
"Old Buckley isn't able to pay
cent" broke in the judge. "I've made
inquiries, and If his little farm is sold
it will leave his old wife without any
means Of making a support. No, the
jig's up with him."
"But Georges been savin' money for
the last five years." said Hillyer anx-
iously. 1--WE got it borrowed from i'm
at regular rates. can lay my hands
on the money at moments notice.
Yes, he can raise a reasonable amount
all right"
Judge Moore frowned, thrust his
hands into the pockets Of his trousers
and turned to a window which looked
out on the courtyard, where few
tdlers lay on the grass near the hitch
ing rack.
"I'm not going to be the medium
through which deserving innocent peo-
pie suffer for the guilty" he said
firmly. "I've thought 1t all over. I
was afraid George might ask this, but
it's no go. I've made up my mind on
that score"
"Oh, judge. don't say that" pleaded
Hillyer. "The boy simply can't bear
it. You see, Judge Moore, since I
tuck i'm an sent i'm off to school he's
been sorter away from his home, an
the feller's got as much feelin' as any
body else. Then when he got through
college an l give i'm place in my
business he's stood with the best folks
in the town, an it would 60 hard with
'im-to have his own daddy at the coal
mines"
"I know all that, Mr.. Hillyer. I've
thought of it twenty times during this
trial. l hardly slept last night trying
to make up my mind what to do In
case the jury didn't recommend Buck
ley to mercy. Well, they came down
on i'm like load of bricks, an I'm not
going to let George suffer for him.
Why, the old rascal can't be cured of
his dishonesty. Didn't you hear what
Bradley said about his coIltantly steal
ing from his neighbors. many of whom
never made any charge against him out
of respect for Mrs Buckley and George!
No, sir; his son. who is my friend, shall
not sacrifice his savings for him."
"Then I'll pay it. judge; you know
am able"
"You shan't do that, either" said the
Judge firmly. Even if I'd consent to
let as old man as you be out OF
pocket for such a hopeless reprobate'
George would find 1t out and insist on
repaying you in the long run. No; i've
years in the mines will do the olo
scamp good. and I'm going to secure
his transportation"
You think that's final then. judgeT'
Hillyer had turned quite pale. ana the
ouivering hand which had clutched his
beard stayed itself in it's downward
progress.