Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-04-21
DAILY SHORT STORY
A NEW KIND OF CRIME.

never come upIbeforeG
They say CO WhantOn's goln' t hev.
a lawyer from 'FI5scOf
.'Y' don't meaui't! What's he goin'
TO do that fer? I'VE been thinkin'
Cy's not trestlR hiS5 wife far, and
now I'm sure OF n
The lawyer, Mr.; Homer Hobson.
young man employed by a reputable
law firm. was sent ont To conduct tie
case of Wharton vers US Wharton. 1he
firm supposlng that regular court would
be held. When Mr.. Robson arrived he
was somewhat disappointed to find
that Judge Lynch was on the Ibench.
1t was too late to withdraw, and he
proceeded to+attend tOHWharton' Sinter-
ests as best'he could Mrs. Wharton
was the only. womanf fin court. ga very
good bookings person. with ant honest
countenance She needed no lawyer.
for she had the entire sympathy OF ev
cry one present : Mr.. Robson called
the first wltness& for the plaimin.
wharton's partnerN Tom ClOHgh, and
proceeded tO'eXamine him.
Where were: you,On the'night Of(the
10th OF June
"WaIkIn' down by thetcreek
''State what You sawIon thatFOcca-
sion"
81 seen the defendant and the CO.
respondent
"See here. Tom Clough." the judge
lawyer"
How do you know ~ asked Clough.
not being sure wbetl.erIor no he had
right TO do SO.
What's a correspondent? % asked the
judge to try him.
1.-The woman In the case"
"All right. go on. Reckon v know
more about la wIthan 1 thought
WAL, ] seen' them two sIttin' on a
rock. with their arms around each 9th,
er's neck"
See anything 'mOre?"
mo
Judge" Mr.. HobasOn explained. cts
customary for the tplain6ff's attorney
to examine his own witnesses
by mean 10 saw" replied tIe judge,
scowling. that yoIA intend TO 'nopolize
all the witnesses inubis we're case?"
The attorney attempted TO explain.
but the court would not listen. Call
the first witness fer the,ill treated wom-
an he cried. rapping with a billet OF
wood on the pine table before HIM.
The witness was the correspondent.
John Root. He was Directed by the
judge TO tell what he knew about the
case
ION the night of the 10th o. June"
he said. Il was a-waIkin' down by the
creek and I seen Tom ClOugh sittinJOn
rock with Cy Wharton's wife He
was a-trying' TO kiss her, but she give
him a slap in the jaw
Your honor protested the lawyer.
this is inadmissible. In a case of
Grim con-
This amt no case o Grim con: It's
divorce case" snapped the Judge
The lawyer gave it up and sat down.
The Judge finished his remarks Il
don't see why John Roots word amt
as good as Tom Clough's. Cy Wharton.
what yOu got L say agin your wife,"
II object" said the lawyer. starting
up.
WAL, you Jlst keep on ohdectin'." re-
piled the judge. drawing a revolver
from his belt and laying it on the
table.
Now, Wharton" cried the lawyer.
remember you are not ODUSSu 10 say
anything to criminate yourself"
Not obliged to say anything to crimi-
nate hisSeIfr' roared the Judge See
here. young Teller. you may know a
lot about law, but not as II is prac-
ticed In Excelsior Ehe witness il
sworn TO fell the truth and the hull
truth. What " got to say to that? Cy
Wharton. is this put upijOb agin your
sufferin' wife or not?'
WAL. Judge" replied the plaintiff.
with a hangdog look. II been thinkin'
maybe it's put up job"
who put it up?"
WAL judge. | foun' letter this
mornin' from my psrdneE. Tom ClOugh.
10 my wife begin her to run away
with him. Reckon he's got the an
swer III she consented she's guilty
O. this we're crime and not me. Ef she |
didn't I'm the guilty one
Tom Clough." said the Judge, cock |
ing his revolver, the court wants that |
letter.
Clough hesitated; but. unfortunately |
for him. he had the letter in his pocket |
and knew he would be searched. He |
bad no choice but TO produce II. The |
court scanned il. then read it aloud:
Il want YOU TO understand that there |
amt no use your foolin round me no /
longer. I love my husband and children /
too we'll to have any use fer a galoot like |
YOU
The jury, without retiring. found a
verdict as follows:
In this we're crime o divorce neither
husband nor wife hes been found Grim
inaL The real criminal is Tom Clough.
who put up the job. The verdic' Of the /
jury is Jhet Tom CIough is a internal
rascal. and Excelsior hes no more use
fer him"
Tom ClOugh," said the Judge, the
sentence OF the court Is tibet any one
guilty Of a crime tibet separates hus-
ban and wife and makes little chill
dren tn suffer. whether It's the hus-
ban, the wife, the woman in the case
or the -,