The Oskaloosa herald., 1911-01-19

able trials within the criminal juris-
prudence of our state. The late
Judge e. S. Sampson presided. The
prosecution was conducted by that
eminent Iowa jurist, nj. E. Cults, and
the defense by Judge Howe, and a
very prominent criminal lawyer,
Mr.. Buckles, both of Illinois, who
were assisted by Henry M. Martin,
of Davenport. The testimony tend
ing to convict was entirely circum-
stantial and the trial lasted for ten
DAYS.
Honest and capable J. NJ. Beck, as
one of the judges of our supreme
court, in reviewing the case later on
said: I'VE can scarcely refer to
case which has fallen within our
knowledge which furnishes such num-
erous and varied complications and
at the same time cOncordant circum-
stances upon which it becomes meets
sary to determine the guilt or inno-
cence of an accused as the record be-
fore us discloses."
The evidence upon the part of he
state was in substance as before
stated, with the Identification of Vim
cent as the person who camped for
the night al the farm of Mrs. Maanat
and the party who, on the following
day, drove the dun colored team into
Brooklyn. The defense was a double
alibi; that Vincent was not the party
tina campCd at Mrs. Maanat's farm
and drove the dun cOlored team into
BrCai lln and tEat the CHASTITY face in
the jar did not belong to Claibourne
Showers. 1hree witnesses were in.
trcduCcd who testified 20 seeing
Showers alive months after the fatal
morning in MAJ in 1863. One of them
who remained unimpeached testified
that he met Showers on the battle
field at Altoona, Ca, just after the
conflict and had long talk with him.
That they discussed people and lines
back at their old home and he could
not be mistaken as to the identity of
the party. The other two witnesses
discrimination. Testimony was
intro Iuced to show that when Vim
cent and Showers left Illinois they
were not driving dun colored team
but a span of sorrel3. This the safe
explained away by proving that two
young men exchanged a team at
Monticello, in Jones county, for the
dun colored team, but was unable to
show that The one previously owned
by the young men was a sOrrel team.
Some of the best citizens OF the old
home of the defendant testified as to
his good character and good citizen
ship.
Il is said by these who were famil
lar with the life and work of the late
NJ. E. Cults that his closing address
to the jury YVES one of the greatest
efforts of his life and was a master
piece.
The case was appealed 20 the SUI
preme court and was by that tribunal
affirmed. The defendant was SEN
fenced to eight years in the peniten-
tiary. By exemplary conduct and
good behavior his term was shorten
ed considerable. On his release he
returned 20 his old home, where he
resided for about two years, and then
went into the employ of a business
firm in a nearby city, where he re-
manned continuously as a trusted and
capable servant until his death.
The writer can no., however, re-
frai %,
this unfortunate case. During the
sos, Henry NJ. Martin and the writer
were fellow passengers on a train
one sOmber night. At the invitation
of Mr.. Martin we went into the
S moker ito have an old-fashoncd
visit" as he allied it. Somehow,
meeting him once more recalled to
my mind the incidents of This case.
During a little lull in our converse.
ton ! put the question direct to him.
Was Vincent guilty? 1t was, per.
haps, a breach of professional ethics,
but his face Ii: up with a smile.
"Circumstantial evidence" he said,
where the chan is complete and each
link fits with eXactness often furnish
es the most satisfactory of testi-
mony. But here are cases on record
where by some mysterious manner
have woven veil of
proof around parties that seemed al
most impregnable to doubt of guilt,
but time has demonstrated that @he
victim was innocent. Vincent has
paid all the penalties that our courts
can enforce and there is now no mo-
live for me to hide his guilt If |
should wish. But the man was limo
cent. 1t was one of those peculiar
cases that the books are full Of" He
then entered into lengthy DISGUST
ton of the case, analysed it from be-
ginning 20 end in such manner
that doubts of his guut came throng-
ing up in my mind AS the train
for his stopping place as he
reached up over his head to get his
satchel, he said: Il have had busy
life as trial lawyer. have won
many victories and met many de-
fea.s, but when | think of my de.
feats | classify this one as my Wat
erloo." All OF the chief actors in this
unfortunate drama have passed into
n,