Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1912-06-17
An Abb
By EDWARD BURNS

hC oNabC hdh AhdNC q NCAy kOO0 SdoC
against the prisoner. and the defense
had been very weak There seemed
nothing TO do but go through the for
mality of a conviction. At this juno
ture the prisoner said:
Your honor, there is a gentleman in
court who. If be only remembers me.
can prove that at the time am charg-
ed with having committed this crime ]
was far away from here"
Point him out" said the judge.
''That gentleman there, your honor
with mutton chop whiskers and
glasses
The man. well dressed person about
fifty years old. looked about him as II
to see to whom the prisoner referred.
but soon becoming conscious that the
eyes of the court were upon him. NOV
ed uneasily in his seat
"Will you take the stand, sir?" said
the judge.
who? What? II"
"Yes. you!"
There's some mistake here. ! am
arrived only this morning from Val
paraiso. / am interested in case on
the calendar which have been In
formed would come up possibly today
do you know the prsonerr
Certainly not. never saw him be
fore in my life"
Mr. Beasley." whined the prisoner,
'you certainly 'aven't forgot John Nc
! Eroy. who used to drive you about the
summer you was stayin at the - no
tel, in Lon'onY"
Il remember a man / used to call
John. whose cab l used frequently. but
! il you are he you must have changed.
"I've cut off my beard. Don't you
remember. sir. my drivin' you to
lady's 'ouse one day and when you
came hout you was feelin' so tine that
instead of the reg'lar fare you give me
a suvirlgnp
The gentleman looked like a school
boy detected in kissing one of the girls
He looked very hard at the prisoner
II think / do remember something
about that visit Did you drive me
that day.
What date did it occurT" asked the
judge.
Il. don't remember"
TRY"
The gentleman put on his thinking
cap and said: IL was in London from
the middle of April to the 9th of July
of the present year. Now remembel
that it was on the 4th of July l made
the visit to an American lady who 1:
now my wife, She was visiting
friend in Grosvenor square. | remem
ber the day because it was our nation
al holiday
Can you swear that this was th'
man who drove you on that occasionF
mo, your honor. cannot"
Here the witness was put on tn,
stand and examined by the prisoner
counsel.
Were you travelling for pleasure o
on business"
Business"
For yourself or in the employ o
others?
"For others"
Ibid they pay your expenses"
'They did"
"Very well: if they paid your ex
penses you must have kept an accoun
of those expenses"
$50 | did, and. strange to say, thos
, expenses are expected to figure in tn
case, the trial of which l came here t
attend, and have brought my accoun
book with me-"
Have you it here in court?"
.I have. did not know when I lef
my hotel but that the case would b
called this morning, and 1 brought
with me-"
Examine it and see If on the 4th o
July in the present year you paid
cabman In London a sovereign"
IL am sure never paid such a larg
sum for any cab while there. neve
rode long distances"
"You KEEP me waitin', sir. two hours.
Besides, | wouldn't have charged
: private matter like that to my Ell
Never mind what you did or didn'
do said the prisoners counsel. "ES
, anime your account book and let Il
know whether there is a charge of
sovereign on July 4, 49,, for cab hire.
The witness took out small blank
, book and nervously turned over tn
, leaves. He. seemed embarrassed an
fumbled "a great deal. the prisoner
| attorney making him more so b.
sternly asking him If he was tryin
r not to find the item. Finally he paus
ed at page, down which he began t
: run his finger. Suddenly he stopped.
l Got itW asked the lawyer eagerly.
81 wouldn't have believed 1t. Yes
> here's the charge-a sovereign for ca
, hire July 4. 10. But there's mar
across it. which means that 1t was no
| to be charged In my expense accoun
when | got back home"
Gentlemen of the jury" said tn
I attorney. this is a plain case of alb
My client has been proved to hav
T, been in London. 1900 miles from th
scene of the robbery, two days afte
the crime with which he Is charge
= was committed. The trip across tn
= | Atlantic has heen shortened hut IN