The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1913-11-15

would be few convictions For crime.
Yet as lawyer I'm free to admit that
circumstantial evidence alone is never
quite safe as proof Of guilt. Natural
~ she says some one else must have
put the stolen goods there. That is
quite within the measure Of possibili-
ty. That sort Of thing has been done
j. countless times" g..
"And for what reason? It's too alb:
surd to think about ..s..-..
I'm similar cases." the lawyer an
swered, those actually guilty. Of the:
thefts have thus sought to throw "sus-
picion on the innocent in order to
avoid 1t on themselves when the pur-
suit got too hot on their trail. Some
times, too, such evidence has been
manufactured merely to satisfy spite
against the one unjustly accused"
"A court of justice has decreed her
guilty"
Nowadays" Demarest shot out, I'VE
don't call them courts of justice; we
call them courts of law"
Anyway" Glider declared, becoming
genial again, Its out of our hands
There's nothing we can do. now.''
"Why, as to that" the lawyer re-
piled, with a hint of hesitation, II am
not so sure. You see, the fact of the
matter is that, though I helped to
prosecute the case, i am not little
bit proud Of the verdict: am not sure
that Mary Turner is gui]ty-far from
it, in fact! Anyhow, the girl wants to
see you, and I wish to urge you to:
grant her an interview"
|: whats the use?" Glider stormed.
II can't have her crying all over the
Office and begging for mercy" he pro-
tested truculently. But note Of fear
lay under the petulance
Demarest's answer was given with
assurance.
"You are mistaken about that. The
girl doesn't beg for mercy. In fact,
that's the whole point of the matter:
She demands justice-strange as that
may seem in court Of law-and moth
ing else. The truth is, she's a very
unusual girl, a long way beyond the
ordinary salesgirl, both in brains and
in education"
"The less reason, then, for her being
a thief" Glider grumbled in his heav-
lest voice.
And perhaps the less reason for be-
lieving her to be thief,". the lawyer
retorted suavely. He paused for a
moment, then went on. There was a
tone of sincere determination in his
voice. Just before the judge imposed
sentence he asked her If she had any
thing to say. You know, it's just a
usual form-a thing that rarely means
much of anything. But this case was
different, let me tell you. She sur
prised US all by answering at once that
she had. It's really pity, Glider, that
you didn't wait. Why, that poor girl
made fine speechw 49,:
"Pooh, pooh!' came the querulous OBJ
lection. ''She seems to have hypnotic
ed you" Then, as new thought came
to the magnate, he spoke with a trace
OF anxiety: There We're always the re-
porters looking for space to fill with
foolish vaporings.
ibid she say anything against nue. or
the store?''
mot a word" the lawyer replied
grayely. "She merely told US how her
father died when she was sixteen years
old. She was compelled after that to
earn her own living. Then she told
how she had worked for you for five
years steadily without there ever be-
ing single thing against her. She
said, too, that she had never seen the
things found in her locker. And she
said more than that. She asked the
Judge If he himself understood what It
means for a girl to be sentenced to
prison for something she hadn't done.
Somehow, Glider, the way she talked
had its effect on everybody in the court
room. know! It's my business to
understand things like that. And what
she said rang true. What she said and
! the way she said it take brains and
! courage. The ordinary crook has nei-
Their. So had suspicion that si1s
| might be speaking the truth" There
was a little pause, while the lawyer
moved back and forth nervously; then
he added, II believe Lawlor would have
suspended sentence If it hadn't been
for your talk with him."
II simply did my duty" Glider said.
'You are aware that did not seek
any consultation with Judge Law!or.
He sent tor me and asked me what I
thought about the case-whether
thought it would be right to let the girl
go on suspended sentence. told him
frankly that believed that an exam
pie should be made of her for the sake
of others who might be. tempted to
steal. Property has some rights, Dem
Arrest, although 1t seems to be getting
nowadays so that anybody is likely to
deny It," Then the fretful, half alarm
ed note sounded in his voice again as
he continued, II can't understand why
the girl wants to see me-"