Jefferson jimplecute. (Jefferson, Tex.) 1907-1926, 1912-01-05
A BRILLIANT
DEFENSE
b. GEORGE 3. BURTON
Copyright BY American Press Asso-
etAtion. 1911.

National vas On TRIAL for violation Of
the banking laws. There was no more
scrupuIously honest man than Marx.
land. but the case against him was
complicated. His conviction OF &C
Quitiai depended largely upon how 1t
would lie handled by the state at
torpey and counsel for defense. Evan
NcCord. the prosecutor. was . rising
young lawyer. ambitious for political
prefermenf. There had been much
grumbling by certain mnicontents that
II was impossible 20 convict criminals.
NcCord. III order TO make capital for
himself. resolved to make a strenuous
effort to convict every prisoner who
came before him. MARYLAND was
among the first and McCord sent him.
knowing him to bs an innocent man.
to the penitentiary.
Years passed and McCord had re-
turned to tie practice Of the law az
an advocate. One day a man accused
Of forgery sent for him and asked him
10 take Ills case. McCord aSsented
and asked the man TO toll him all
about II.
mot 90 my life." said the man. III
you defend me on lines that would
appear proper ! shall be convicted. !
know that you ARE u brilliant lawyer
and wish to secure my ncquittal by
some brilliant stroke that will con
vtVc> Ia, f,,rv ~
McCord assented
Yet there WAS one criminal to convict
whom Ire would give even a LIES sue
cess. lie had had brother who had
been murdered The murderer bad
covered his tracks 30 adroitly that even
the shire " est detectives could not find
the slightest clew to his identity.
Twenty years had passed since the
trngsdy. and every year Evan Nc
Cords desire for vengeance upon his
brothers slayer increased TIL It ap-
preached monomania.
Stan wick. whom NcCord undertook
to defend by using his own wits rather
than by establishing bis innocence.
though much run down. gave evidence
Of once having been a gentleman. He
was past middle age and had the hard
look on his face Of one hardened to
crime. BE produced . very bad effect
on the jury from the start. and Nc
Cord saw that the opportunity to show
his skill In legal manipulation OF
case was n great one Proud as he was
Of his powers. he threw himself into
the case with all hts ability.
A forgery case Is nscessar tiy coupli-
Gated To convict per1on OF writing
Z mans name 80 like that person him
self would write 1t involves the opinion
of experts In chirography. who are
apt to disagree McCord by cross ex-
aminat ton greatly aided those experts
who testified that the accused had not,
and threw doubt on the evidence Of
those WHO testified Stanwick had, COM
mitted the forgery. From the counsers
prominence great deal OF interest
was manifested In the casa. especially
BY members Of the bar. who attended
the trial In large numbers to witness
NcCord's ingenious professional de-
vices
What was especially noticeable was
the absence Of anything like harmony
between counsel and client The re-
pulsivs face Of tho prisoner was tho
study OF all present and was consid-
ersd the weakest element In the de-
Tense. Moreover. now and again that
face was bent upon McCord with 4
malignant expression. 1t seemed as II
the man was as Indifferent to his ac-
Quittal MS his counsel was eager for It
These features rendered the case
supremely interesting not only to at
torneys. but to the public. The news
papers we're nlled with detailed re-
ports Of the trial and comments on
the brilliant expedients used by the
counsel for the defense. Therefore as
the legal tournament. rs 1t WAS called.
drew toward a close the interest In It
increased McCord rested a day be-
fore summing up and his speech on
that occasion was regarded n master
piece Of legal defensive ingenuity.
When the case was given to tho
Jury It was the opinion of most OF
those present that had 1t not been for
the strong evidence adduced by the
prosecution and the bad impression
created by the prisoner McCord would
have surely won. AS It was. the is
sue was In doubt Tho jury, however.
we're not out more than an hour when
they sent In word to the court that
they had reached verdict. Then
they died In. and before a mute. ex-
psctapt audience the foreman deliv-
cred the verdict:
mot guilty"
Then occurred the most singular IN
consistency Of the whole affair Stan
wick. who might have been supposed
to give some expression Of thankful.
ness. turned upon McCord a look Of
one who had taken q malignant venge-
ance.
However. this was the last of a cse-
brated case. and In a few minutes
after the discharge Of the prisoner the
courtroom that had been the scene Of
an interesting struggle was emptied.
For week McCord was in receipt
Of constant congratulations npon his
brilliant achievement When the high
ct sncomiums were being heaped
upon him he received the following let.
ter:
Go on hunting me a. you have been
doing for % many years hate you and
al your tribe Years ago | got revenge