The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-25
Ichapter XIII. Continued from Yesterday

IChapter XIII Continued from Yesterday
The courtroom was small 1t was de-
stroyed by fire the next year. but at this
time its insufficency to accommodate
large audience was keenly felt. particularly
by the many who were turned away after
the room was comfortably filled.
L will not describe the preliminaries, so
much the same in all similar cases. but
pass to more important matters. Mr..
Morley opened the case for the plaintiff in
something like the folio wing words:
1T is my purpose to narrate as briefly
as possible the main facts upon which the
plaintiff relies in support of his claim
to the estate fraudulently withheld from
him by his brother. Victor Hamilton: but
pause at the outset, almost overwhelmed
by sense of my own inability to present
them in a manner commensurate with their
supreme gravity. One thing / do assure
you: L shall seek to justify wrong-do-
ing l shall not forget the issue which is at
stake here, to re-establish the plaintiff s
claim TO his own property, to his own
family and identity, of which the defendant
has robbed him.
ITO you, gentlemen of the jury, has de-
volved the task of re-establishment, of re-
turning to the enjoyments of his home and
the honors of his position, my unhappy
client. Upon your lips hang the decision
whether his home, his family his property,
are forfeited forever, and with them all
hopes of happiness in the community,
! whose welfare to him up to the time of
| his most unfortunate loss of identity was
| second only TO that of his wife and children.
| Your conclusions must be reached without
| fear or without favor, as no doubt they will
be. your conscience alone being your judge
of the meditations of your hearts in this
great case, which like many at the outset
| appears to be ahrouded in mystery.
| The great burden Of responsibility thrust
| upon you deserves, yea, demands, the de-
votion of every faculty of your minds and
| the most scrupulous attention to every
point of the case. II your vision be keen
enough, and | think II is. you will see that
acts which would tend to elucidate each
| other. You will see the mystery vanish,
| and a plain, unvarnished tale arise in its
| place.
| You all know the plaintiff as well as /
| do. 1t was this man who lived among you
more than dozen years, and all that time
| held responsible place in the community.
| Mr.. Morley then preached the subject OF
the plaintiffs mysterious yearly absence
| as the result of his promise to a dying
/ mother TO seek for his twin brother sup
| posed by all but her to have died soon after
| he was stolen. The child. like Charlie
/ Ross, of Philadelphia, was snatched from
\ his cradle by unknown hands. hidden
| away where no search could find him. Two
1 years OF anxious seeking, and the poor
| mother nearly frantic all this time. Then
| an anonymous letter was received, stating
| that the child had died a month after it
| was stolen. AS time wore on and no trace
| of the child could be found all but the
| mother gave up. Meanwhile. Mr. Hamilton.
| the father, lost the greater part of his
| property, and after a time as | have said
| the search for the child given up as
| unavailing. And the mother at last ac-
! guessed But on her deathbed she solemnly
| charged her to seek for his brother
| Take two weeks of every year said she;
| you will then have fifty left for yourself.
] He promised. She gave him ring with the
| pie have seen the ring. Ii is now worn by
| the defendant. whom we claim is Victor
| Hamilton II so. the ring belongs to him.
| Now Tor the proof OF the plaintiff
| statement In the deposition of the nurse
| Hannah Sargent, who confessed that it was
| she who wrote the anonymous letter say
ing that the child had died soon after being
| stolen, for the purpose OF easing the MIND
| OF her former mistress. whom she had Otter
heard say that she should feel better tc
| know her dead than living in the
| midst of evil associates. She was sure
| that he must be dead or that trace would
have been found OF him And so she wrote
| that letter: did evil that good might
| come. Only weak and foolish people dare
10 SO lay their feeble hands on the wheel OF
| human events. But she did it, and from
| good motive. she SAYS. Her writer
evidence will be submitted in due order Of
| the trial.
After his mothers death. vane Hamii