The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-08-28

ing for-that 1 had expected to see be-
fore all others. standing up in the pris-
oners dock, the centering point for all
eyes-I could not find. The only thing
that might have been prisoners dock
a small rallied Enclosure on the right
hand of the judges desk, was empty.
But presently there was a shift in the
restless gathering, some people, who
had been standing up, sat down; and
saw little more of the long table,
first space, where no one was sitting,
and then the broad back of a man.
who had shifted in his chair as If to
face the person next to him. In mo-
ment he had turned back again, and
leaned forward. and there, in the little
space through the crowd-a profile like
a picture in frame-I saw Johnny
Montgomery's face.
The start it gave me may have been
pure establishment, / saw it so suddenly
and it looked so different All the dis
hevelment, the defiance and anger was
gone. His black hair was brushed
down, smooth and FURNISHED as a.
crows breast. The stock and the
great black satin bow beneath his
chin were as immaculate and as per-
feetly arranged as fathers, and his
face itself was calm, almost sweet in
expression.
| had been expecting to find a pris-
oner In dock, and here he was,
dressed like any other distinguished
young gentlemen in the courtroom,
and sitting among the LAWYERS. All at
once he put UP his hand to push back
his hair. and I saw that his hands were
free. 1 felt sense of unspeakabIe re-
lief, as If he had already been ac-
quilted The only thing that seemed to
set him apart from others was that
expression OF his, which was troubling
n re
not trying to combat or oppose any
thing; as if he had foreseen to the end
what would happen, and had given
himself up from the first
Then voice, high and sing-song
seeming to come from nowhere, began
calling out something which I could
not understand, and the Mexican l had
seen in the witness room rose from the
crowd and shuff1ed up into the little
rallied Enclosure. The gentleman who
was sitting with Mr.. Dingley got up
and began asking questions in a weary
monotonous voice, to which the Next
can replied that his name was Manuel
Cora. that he was a Mexican by birth.
and by occupation bar keeper; that at
present he was without employment
but that previous to the seventh of
May he had for ten years been in the
employment Of Martin Rood
/ could hear the stirsall over the
courtroom, and my own heart began to
beat
"Ahw The gentleman who was on
his feet seemed to shake off his apathy
and grew very emphatic. Now, Mr.
Gora-on the night of May the 9Th
where were your
The man answered in a low voice
that all that night he had been in Mr..
Rood's gambling hall.
GO on. tell us and the gentlemen of
the jury all that you remember of the
occurrences of that night and of the
morning of the 18th until $50 o'clock .
When the Mexican began speaking
all the rustic died out in the court, and
in the deep silence his precise, mincing
utterance made every word distinct He
had gone on duty at $50 o'clock. he
said; the hall had closed at IL, it being
Sunday night. and at that hour Mr.
Rood had not yet come home. He had
locked the doors and sat up until g
Then Mr. Rood came and went immedi-
ately to bed.
Here the lawyer interrupted, DO I
understand you that Mr.. Rood lived at
the gambling hall?'
No, the man said. but ne had rooms
upstairs which he often used After
Mr.. Rood had retired he had himself
gone to his own room, which was also
upstairs, but in the back of the
house. He was not yet asleep when
he heard the bell at the side
door ring. "Apd them" the Mexi-
can said IL went to Mr. Foods
door and asked If I should go down