The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-09-13
Bullock Shoe Go.
THE BLIND CotJNTERFEITER
BY R. CRAWFORD SHERLOCK. (copyright. 1905. by Daily Story Pub
 aahtue Col

itshing Col
 The courtroom was crowded with spectators eager to hear the evidence \ of counterfeiting against man almost
 devoid of sight. The Government on cers were ready with their testimony and anxious, too, for this case had eiv- | en them more. trouble than any other | in their experience,
 Charles Martin. the accused, besides ! being almost totally blind. had been q street beggar. and the detectives. al though knowing full we'll that many of tho spurious coins had been passed by Martin or his children, had believed that he had received them as aims from some passerhy. In consequence of this deiusion the officers had vainly follow ed clue after clue in their endeavor to
 find the guilty party. and at last, by the merest accident, had discovered that the accused was the maker of the
 bogus money.
 The trial proceeded with the usual defiberation; the officers adding tO their evidence some broken noids and bars of zinc, lead and composition metal
 that had been found in Martins cellar. Several shopkeepers testified that the accused man had given them the spuri- ous goods. Martins lawyer. appointed by the court. offered no defense and the jury promptly brought in verdict of guilty.
 Have you anything to say why sent- ence should not be passed upon your
 asked the court
 The blind man arose and stood erect his face pale and wan. his figure, tall and slender, ewayed to and fro until he rested his hand upon the rail of the dock for support For fey moments his face twitched conyuislveiy: then by strong effort he mastered his emo ton and spoke in a low, clear tone. May 1t please the court" he began
 there is no doubt whatever of the ab.
 solute justice of the verdict that has
 been rendered. I made and passed the counterfeit coins and am ready to bear the punishment for my crime. But be- fore receive my sentence would like sn opportunity to explain to you and the jury why became counterfetter. you may proceed" replied the judge, to whom Martins dignified bearing ap- pealed.
 My name is not Martin; what it is I shall not divuIge. Five years ago I
 held good position, had happy home
 and could afford to give my family the comforts and even some of the luxuries of life. By the nerest accident I lost sight almost entirely. was able to
 get around in the less crowded thor
 oughares with comparative safety dur
 ing the day, but at night I was abso
 lutelv blind. At no time after the ac-
 cident was able to read or write. The
 little store of money I had saved dur
 ing my prosperous cays. despite the
 IT est rigid economy. melted away, and
 then witt. ar invalid wifo and three
 small children. stood face to face with the problem of how to live"
 Had you no friends or relatives7" inquired the court sympathetically.
 "Yes, sir, I had both," returned Mar tin, his voice calm and deliberate; "but have you ever known a friend, who. after the first sympathetic impulses had passed away, stood by another during years of continued adversity7 There are few such. If any, and none fell to my lot. As for relatives, I made strong appeals to them, urging the many kind and generous acts my ather had done for them in the days of his prosperity and of their l1elplessness. All this was without material avail. One suggested the most rigid economy, another ad- vised that my wife, an invalid requir- ing constant care, should go to work and support us; others told me to send my children, the only comfort had left. to some institution. Not one" striking his hand passionately against the rail offered any suggestion or plan where by I might be able to provide, in the humblest way. for my loved ones. My wife died under the strain of our ad-