Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-07-17
A Case of Elastic
Conscience.


banker and promoter. was convicted
OF misappropriation Of funds every one
said that the eIoquence Of the prose
cutting attorney, Rowland Ruddock, had
done the trick. Scott had been caught
in big commercial panic with too
great a load on bis hands and had to
| go under Indeed, to save himself he
had placed himself under the ak Of the
| law. Ruddock had II political scheme
marked out for himself. and Scott's con
vlction was a great card for him with
thousands Of voters who hated "the
plutocrats" Huddock was to be gov
eFnor of the state, then senator. Scott
was convicted just as the gubernatorial
contest was coming on. But Scott had
succeeded in getting new trial. which
came on Just before the election. IL
was expected that Rnddock would
make the effort OF his life In this sec
Ond trial. for whichever way the anti
monopoly vote was cast so went the
| election. What was the establishment
OF every one when he made so weak
nm effort as TO be accused Of pandering
to the pIutocratlc interest Scott was
acquitted. and Ruddock was defeated
In the election.
About the time that Ruddock left the
law school he met Margaret Cushman,
a girl Of very strong character. She
| had conscience Of cast iron. Moth
Ing could swerve her from what she
considered the right. She was much
pleased with lubbock. as he was with
| hap Huf she faaroH That hfa conoa ~
principle was not as strong In him as
II should be- He stroye to convince her
| that she had mistaken a certain elias
ticlty for something worse, citing the
Puritan as an example of a too rigid
conscience.
They were engaged. and the engage
ment lasted until Ruddock defended a
notorious rogue and by his brilliant
legal tactics acquitted him. Margaret
knew all about this case and could not
see how her lover could make hls ac-
ton accord with his conscience. In
vain he attempted to show her that
there can be but one duty Of a lawyer
toward his client He must do his
best eThls." said Margaret. makes a
courtroom mere legal arena. II Is not
justice that decides questions Victory.
irrespective Of guilt or innocence.
| perches upon the banner of the most
brilliant legal knight" Il regret" re-
piled lubbock. that this Is too large
~ the condition of our courts, but ii
doesn't absolve me from doing my best
for my client. and / do not see how It
can be different" Margaret called this
devil reasoning. and. not being willing
to tie herself to man who would
clear a client who was a rogue, she
broke the engagement.
Twenty years passed Ruddock was
Ia his prime and was elected prosecut-
Ing attorney In a large city. His cleo
ton went With one Of those waves OF
reform peculiar to our people 1t was
said that convictions could not be pro
cured on account of political pulls OF
prisoners. Ruddock was put In by the
best men OF both parties to see that
rascals were sent to prison or the gall
lows. After his entry upon the duties
OF his office there was perceptihle
difference in the amount OF crime per-
petrated TIL at last II reached a mini
mum.
The night before Truesdale SCOTS
second trial was to come up Ruddock
was sitting Ia his rooms--he was
Notwithstanding plans TO crush the
banker suddenly the door opened and
a woman entered Ruddock looked up
at her In surprise.
'erhe district attorney, l believer
she said In a choked voice.
| II am"
Tomorrow you are to try Truesdale
scott2"
''Yes."
II come to ask your forbearance. Mr..
Scott Is IN no way guilty man,
Caught Ia q maelstrom as he was
swept along he grasped methods some
OF which We're not within the law
Upon You rests his conviction or ac-
quittat Is It your duty to make one Of
your brilliant efforts against him9a
"A lawyers duty n to do the best
he can for hts client A prosecutors
duty is to send the accused n possible
to state prison"
"mexorable as ever"
II inexorable2"
YES You and | talked over these
matters when we were but half our
present ago. am Margaret Cushman,
Trnesdale Scott's wife"
Margaret
Then you spoke of an elasticity
that yon said mlstook for something
worse .
II stlil am subject 70 such elasticity
! do not consider It my bounden duty
TO convict your husband. though the
masses Of the community think that il
Is. was elected by them TO carry out
a certain programme. To fan 10 do
my best to convict your husband
would he 10 bring down upon me the
anathemas Of these constituents. New.
ertheless that elasticity you have
spoken of tells me that the better part
for mo viii be TO make a weak nght
that your husband may 40 free"