Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-05-02
battles against an

mother can fight the battles against an
unSy.apGthetic world.
She engages as chief counsel John Wes-
! tin, a noted lawyer, who in pity for the
young wife places his fee within her
means.
Long before the time set for the opening
OF the trial of Bob Rogers on tho charge of
completely in the most sensational bank
robbery ever committed in the District of
Columbia the criminal court was packed
and damned. and many Interested onlook-
ers stood up in the aislcs and corridors.
The case was attracting more attention
even than the mysterious assassination a
few years before OF a certain United
States senator.
The witnesses for the prosecution tes-
tiiy to the facts of the automobile and
iSob $ own admissions as to his previous
criminal history, whereon the prosecution
rests and Hazel is called 10 the stand.
-Attired in a neat blue travelling suit.
she was the cynosure of Il thousand eyes
as she tcmderly handed hey baby into tn.
keeping of Mrs. Weston while She maio
her statement. She told OF Bob's wonder
ful reformation since he was pardonea by
Governor Folk. of his kind and charitable
disposition. his love for his little family.
and then briefly mentioned how hard he
had worked 10 accumulate their l;ttle earn
liigs. She then told OF the incident OF
Fob $ former cell mates calling on him,
and how ne pleaded with them TO reform
and become good citizens. and concluded
by stating very dramatically that Bob pos
lively had not been away from Iiobokcn
for three weeks previous to the nigh; OF
the crime with which he was accused
When she had finished 1t was apparent to
everybody in the room that she had made
a most wonderful impression. and it was
universally regretted that. as the wife Of
the defendant. her statement would not be-
accepted as evidence.
Ut was at this priod, when things looked
extremely discouraging for Bob, that MIR.
Weston sprung the greatest surprise ever
recorded in the criminal history OF Wash
inston. when his one and only witness was
called. 1t was the Rev. James Washburn.
pastor of tho little church in iAoboken,
attended regularly 10y MIR. and Mrs. Bob
Rogers.
The clergyman is nos permitted to br
sworn aid the prosecution objects. but OBJ
lection is overruled and he makes ii state
ment III defense of Bob. concluding:
And now. your honor, beg to state
positively that he did not commit thu
crime with which he is charged. know
this because | said goodnight to him and
his lit;le family IL their nome in Ho-
bokcn on the night of May 10. and it was
just 10 O'Clock"
MIR. Weston's argument is made. but tho
prosecuting attorney declines to sum up
and the Judge throws the case OUT OF court.
Bob and wife return 10 their home, but
Bobs prosperous business dwindles to
nothing. The patrons avoiding an ex-con-
Wet.
In Il way this isolation proved a bless
ing : in Disguise. y certain amount of tram
sient work enabled The family 20 live and
afforded Bob ample leisure for the per-
iccting of an aeroplane. The French gov
eminent offers a fabulous sum for Il per-
feet airsh!p. and Bob borrows The money
mill -ti.l fa rae 49,, a. ST. l:, .. ..- MI
trial is announced. and the French am
bassador comes over from Washington to
witness the experiment.
When everything was in readiness Bob
mounted the running board under the i'm
fnense bag and took his place confidently
DIT the rudder. and gave word to his assist
ants to "cut loose" In a moment this
huge monster of the air sailed majestically
above the housetops in the district. then
ctrcled the great dome of st. Patrick's
cathedral. and crossed the river. To mingls
with New York's immense skyscrapers.
Without the slightest accident the aero
plane immediately recrossed the river, af-
ter circling the Statue of Liberty. and
made Il safe landing in almost the identical
spot from which 1t started it's great flight.
Bob. of course, was congratulated on all
sides. but by none more heartily than
Hazel, in whose eyes great tears of joy
glistened. 1T was indeed a grand triumph.
The French ambassador lost no time in
making arrangements with Bob. and our,
hero left for Washington next day on "A
mission much different from thai of his
last journey to the capital OF the great
United States.
Negotiations We're Immediately made by
the ambassador by cable, and he was in
constant communication with his govern
ment all day and nearly all of that night.
Al 10 O'Clock the next morning the deal
was closed and Bob Rogers had sold all
rights to the Rogers aeroplane for $4,000.
GD.