Evening journal., 1909-07-21
: BLIND JUSTICE
D s4e1ks ets49e q es.s.s,.gaa4 8 Q e.se aAe,sss
lOrlglnal.l


young girl Of the poorer class. She had
been found murdered the night before
on road leading into the town. No
one knew her, and the body had been
held as long as seemed best for iden-
tincation. The only person to whom
the slightest suspicion attached was q
man who had been seen walking on
the rond near where the body had been
found. The police Of the neighboring
towns had been notified, and the man
had been arrested and identified by the
person who had seen him. The prisoner
was undergoing his examination.
did you ever see the deceased be-
fore?" asked the coroner.
Never"
"what we're you doing on the roadT
II am a commercial traveller and Of
ten walk from one town TO another IN
stead Of waiting for a train. 1t was so
In this case"
Did you see anything Of this girl on
the road?"
Il have told you that never saw
her before"
The coroner conferred with a police
official, then turned again to. the pris-
oner.
"There is no evidence against you,
and l suppose you are entitled TO q
discharge. but you viii have to re-
main in the care Of the police for a
short time"
At that moment several persons en-
tered, leading a blind man.
This man, your honor" said one Of
them, has come to town looking for
his daughter who. he says. has been
recently led away from her home. We
have told him of this dead girl, and
he desires to know If IT is she he is
seeking"
The moment the old man appeared
the prisoner started. Then he looked
about him to see If his agitation bad
been noticed and feeling assured that
all eyes were and had been on the
blind man, resumed the careless air
that he had shown during his examina-
tion. The blind man, who was old and
on whose face were the lines Of suffe'
ing, was led up and stood trembling
before the coroner. After some pre-
liminary questions he was asked to tell
his story.
my little girl" he said. sis a good
girl. She isN all l have to love and
the only person In the world who loves
me. She cannot be dead. She is not
dead. She must not be dead she
,,~o~t~o5 g., n Pootor,- o,,d xvban che
went to work in the morning she gave
me a loving kiss. All the long day
waited for her to come home, and then
there was another loving kiss, and,
though tired, she talked brightly to
me. cheering me like the fame of a
fire on the hearth to you who can see.
She never went gadding about in the
evening, but stayed at home with me,
though l encouraged her to bring her
young companions TO our home.
"But OF late she had seemed troubled.
She could not cheer me as she had
been used TO doing. or, II she did,
knew 1t was with an effort. And
noticed that the more troubled she
was the more affection she showed me
] 4 W. nNNhE aAN rAt NAlbAANt4 Ant AhOA
tenderly than ever before. hanging
about my neck as though she would
never let 60"
"From that day 1 have not seen her
My neighbors have told me that she
had been seen several times with {
man, but I could get no description ol
him. feel sure the man they saw be-
with has been the cause of her leaving
me. / have visited a number of towns
In hopes OF finding her, without sue
cess. These people have told me tina
you have a dead girl in here who Il
not known, but do not think it cal
be my girl. Still, will satisfy mysel
that she is not"
"How can you do thatY' asked III
coroner. "You can't see."
IT can tell my Maggie" said the vii
ness.
"Your honor" - said the prisoner
then checked himself.
"Well, what is it," asked the col
oner.
Nothing; only that an identihcatio
by a blind man Is a travesty ON ju'
tice"
';How does that concern your aske
the coroner, looking at the prison6
with a new interest.
"Only generally" replied the prisoI
er, endeavoring TO resume his car
10 less manner.
"By what MEANS" said the coron'
n TO the witness, "can you know yoJ
10 daughter?"
r LET me put my hands on her fac
; and will know her at once"
An ashiness spread itself over Il
features of the prisoner.
Lead him to the body" said Il
coroner. "and place his hands on It,"
The old mans hand was placed {
the waist. He started. He ran his a
gers up the body till he came TO Il
neck, when he uttered moan. Quic
+ ~ he passed his hand over the fa'
y from chin to forehead and staggered
Q "Oh. Maggie. Maggiel" he moaned.
/. "Your daughterf" asked the &C
n oner quickly.
Il my daughter" walled the old man
e There was a silence broken only
i the blind mans sobs: then he was L
away. The coroner turned to the W
3 ness.
: "You viii be held till you can she
\ that you are not the man described
4 having led the girl away"
n The prisoner staggered. put his hal
& to his head and would have fallen b