Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-10-13

"I hape ledrned hts true character dur tn1 these days."
 innocence; that his refusal to answer
 her entreaties had been the last, straw to the load under which 1t had gone down; that she believed him indeed the murderer of Moreau. To seem the cringing criminal the pitiful liar and actor in her eyes! The thought stung him. Her faith had meant so much.
 The ominous feeling weighed heavily on Fielder when he rose to continue the testimony for the prisoner, so rudely disturbed the evening before. In such community pettifogglng was of no avail. Throwing expert dust in jurors eyes would be worse than useless. In his opening words he made no attempt to conceal the weakness of the de- fense, evidentially considered. Strip ped of all husk. his was to be an ap- peal to Caesar.
 Through cloud of witnesses con- cisely, consistently, yet with winning usefulness that disarmed the objec- tions of the prosecution, he began to lead them through the series of events that had followed the arrival of the self forgotten man. Out of the mouths of their own neighbors- Bar ney McGinn, Mrs. Halloran, who came down weeping-they were made to see as in 8 cyclorama the struggle for re- mobilization against hatred and suspi. cion, the courage that had dared for a child's life, the honesty of purpose that showed in self surrender. The prisoner, he said, had recovered his memory before the accusation and as- serted his absolute innocence. Those who believed him guilty of the murder of Dr. Moreau must believe him also vulgar liar and poseur. He left the inference clear: If the prisoner had fired that cowardly shot he knew it now; if he lied now he had lied all along, and the later life he had lived at Smoky Mountain, eloquent of fair dealing, straightforwardness of pur- pose, kindliness and courage, had been but hypocrisy, the bootless artiflce of shallow buffoon.
 The session was prolonged past the noon hour, and when Fielder rested his case 1t seemed that all that was possi- ble had been said. He had done his ut most. He had drawn from the people of Smoky Mountain dramatic story and had filled in its outlines with color, force and feeling. And yet as he clos ed the lawyer felt sick sense of fail- ure.
 Court adjourned for an hour, and in the interim Fielder remained in a little room in the building, whither pr. Brent was to send him sandwiches and coffee from the hotel
 ''You made a fine effort, Tom," the latter said as they stood for a moment in the emptying courtroom. You're doing wonders with no case, and the town ought to send you to congress on the strength of 1t. declare, some of your evidence made me feel as mean as a dog about the rascal, though I knew all the time he was as guilty as the devil"
 The lawyer shook his head. T don't blame you, Brent" he said, flor you don't know him as do I have. seen much of him lately. been often with him, watched him under stress, for he doesn't deceive himself; he has no thought of acquittal! We none of us knew Hugh Stires. We put him down for shallow, vulgar blackleg, without redeeming qualities. But the man we are trying is gentleman, refined and cultivated man ofstaste and feel ing. have learned his true character during these days
 Well" said the other, If you be- lieve in him, so much the better. You'll make the better speech for 1t. Tell me one thing. Where was Miss Holme?"
 'T don't know"