Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-03-27
II saw her in BlankfOrd."

Wlln HeT name.
Indeed? You learned her name
them"
Il did"
From whom?"
her, and with whom 1 held some con-
!iversation."
You learned the name of their EN-.
ployer?"
mo, sir. never heard the name OF
Constance Craig until about the time
Of my arrest"
Did you hear a description of the
location and appearance Of the house
where Miss Webb and the young man
| lived?'
II did"
and knew they were to be absent?'
| Yes, sir
Now, Gilbert Sem, one more ques-
ton and I am done. Did you not
know, hours before poor, faithful Ma
tilda Webb found the dead body, that
cruel hands had held away the breath
from her struggling lungs, and that
| murder"
Sem fell back into his chair. A
shrek of the most awful despair rang
through the room.
For Gods sake don't-don't-
DON'T" he cried, while he covered his
ghastly face with his hands.
THAT is ALL" said the prosecuting
attorney, with pointed sarcasm, turn
ing to Aldrich as he spoke. "Will the
defense call it's next witness?"
| Aldrich stood up again. This time
there was a calmness in his colorless
face which had not been there before.
The Lawyer seemed to have disap-
peared; the manhood of the Man,
higher than professional art can ever
reach, shone in his eyes. 1t had been
said of him, once, that women always
loved him! looking at him, his head
erect and well-balanced upon his
shapely neck, his shoulders broad
enough to bravely bear big burdens,
one foot advanced firmly, his mobile
| lips quivering with emotion, it is easy
| for me to say: I believe they did. 1t
is easier still to ask: Is it strange?
1.-The defense will call its next wit
ness" he said, in a voice so low and
musical that only the older ones who
heard it-only those who had lived
long and suffered much-caught the
faint minor chord of passion which
vibrated in 1t. THE defense calls Wal
ter Aldrich. I will be sworn"
Then Sem looked up, happy once
more, a smile shining through the
tears which filled his eyes.
Worthy! worthy! worthy" he
whispered softly to himself; with
Gods help to give me strength wifi
save him yeti"
Do you suppose his good fortune
had driven him into a sudden delir-
ium? Those were strange words to
fall from the lips of man in his po-
sition, very strange. For, when AID
rich himself as a witness Sem knew
that the only man on Gods great earth
who could possibly save him from the
gallows was about to send him out
from his place of bitter trial--a free
man!
II am about to offer evidence of the
utmost importance" said Aldrich, af-
ter he had been duly sworn; but l
shall preface it by an explanation.
There are many reasons why l have
waited until now before saying what
have to say. The fact that 1 have
helped and befriended Mr.. Sem III the
past, and that am unwilling to boast
of what I have done, is one reason;
the fact that / consider that he has
done me as terrible a wrong as cne
man can do to another, is, fear. an
other reason for my reluctance in saw
ing Gilbert Sem in the way in which
I shall save him. Bear with me While
say, however, that my determina-
ton to save him-to save him in some
honest and truthful way-has never
faltered since 1 knew the details of the
charge against him. There is one
more reason which l will mention
I take a deep interest in this case;
desire to see the real criminal brought
to Justice; 1 have listened to the evil
dence with care, with a hope which
has gradually turned to despair; l see
no clew-no hint-nothing; the terri
BILE evidence points toward Gilbert
Sem; it points toward no one else;
am, unfortunately, not in his conf
dence, and consequently 1 cannot Sc
much as attempt to explain why the
evidence is so seemingly strong in It's
circumstantiality as it is; the one fact
which I have to urge is the fact tha'
Gilbert Sem is innocent. And this Is
my testimony: l am lawyer; L was
born in Boomville; my home has been
here all my life. l had frequently gone
down the railroad as far as Blank
ford during the summer and autumn
before Mrs Craig's death. | had gone
as often as once a week, perhaps. The
distance is fifty miles. | was well
acquainted in and about Blankford
I am well acquainted there now.
remember the way in which the trains
ran then: I have an old time caro-
which 1 will offer in evidence, if any
one doubts the accuracy of my memor!
in the matter There were two through
l express trains which passed through
Blankford and BOOmville, coming
from that place to this, every twenty
four hours in the week, with this en-
ception-there was no train Sunday
night. The day train left Blankforo
at about noon. and reached here about
two o'clock in the afternoon; the
night train left Blankford at about ter
i o'clock at night, reaching here a fe"
minutes before midnight. / may sa!
THAT there were no trains going IRON
Boomville toward Blankford during
the afternoon or evening, though tina
fact has nothing to do with this case
as far as I can see. l had business II
this city which would demand my
presence here for short time-onl!
q fav bourS-during the early part O