The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1913-01-16


In his ch',r In M attitude that he
vainy SOUGHT to render jaunty. conf
dent His cheeks had fallen IN slight
! IT, his cye!!ds were puffy and red rim
med. His rou,h hung tiabb!y, His
hands played nervousiy with a piece OF
paper.
Whittredge the famous lawyer
brought from Steel City to defend Shee-
han, brough; his brilliant peroration to
a close. The audience relapsed into an
expectant silence. all eyes fixed on the
district attorney For moment he
remained as he had sat throughout the
plea for the detcnse. mOtiunless. lean.
ing Il little forward and staring liXcdly
at the wall behind the judge. as though
he saw Il vision.
The moment ended He rose and
stood before the jury. box. first ad-
ut the jurors. 1t had taken a whole
days session to select them. but he
knew them and that they We're well
chosen Then the smile faded from
his lips and e. s. replaced by look to
which his neighbors were growing ac-
customed. He began to speak.
Gentlemen of the jury, what have
to do is not pleasant But there is
thing called duty"
AS the first words fell Murchell's in
terest Ieaped. He knew that he was
seeing Il man mount to Il climax in his
81, I In,
was caught in the mans spell by some.
thing that breathed through his voice
and that had been absent from Whit
trelge's perfervid periods. He had a
clear, flexible voice and knew how to
use it.
The speech had been skillfully plan
ned. At first he confined his argument
to the jury and the case Mt bar. Logic
ally he marshhled the evidence against
the defendant and analysed the de
tense. Then when he felt that he had
brought intellectual conviction to all
he began to direct his words at the au-
dience not for the telepathic effect on
the jury. but because he believed YER
dict of guilty would be worthless I'M
less it aroused common horror for
the crime.
Never afterward in speech did John
reach quite the same heights as on the
afternoon when the bright blade Of his
young Indignation cut into the con-
sciences of his hearers. The matter be-
came deeply personal with them. Each
man suddenly felt himself aggrieved
felt that shameful attempt had been
made to take advantage of his good
faith and trust. And then. even while
they were condemning Sheehan. John
seemed to arraign them He set them
to asking the question. What part have
I in this crime? Such offenses are pos
sible only among n people asleep.
They We're both aggrieved and aggres
sors.
Senator Murchell sat to all outward
SERVING impressive. He listened. as as
tonished as the rest. but with under
standing and--he was himself amazed
to mark it--sadly. For he read in the
ardent face and words passion for a
hopeless ideal. So much power. he
thought. going to waste. For he
knew. better than did those who pos
sessed it, the power of moral passion
cOntrolled-but always properly con-
trolled! Was there not some way to
bind this force to his interest?
Bribery at the polls and Justification
Of election returns. familiar weapons
Of machine politics. so long used that
they had ceased to arouse horror and
revolt in the careless, calloused hearts
Of the people. We're Johns text. They
explained the continuance of the ma
chine in power. They shed bright
light. too. on the so called genius of
certain political leaders at which men
as at some miraculous mani
festation Of godlike mind-it was not
genius merely crude, primitive dishon-
esty requiring the direction Of no COM
intellect. needing nothing but
the will to debauch others honor. "It
is the case of government by individu-
al craft and greed against government
by the law that is the expression Of
the moral sense Of the people" he said.
and sat down. The audience stirred
uneasiN. Murchell smiled grimly.
The voice Of the Judge was cold and
even. devoid of emotion, as he began
to instruct the jury. Critical listeners
observed that his charge favored the
defendant rather more strongly than
the evidence seemed to require. They
attributed it to his anxiety not to be
biased by the fact that the district at
torney was his son. Judge Dunmeade
was said to possess an admirably judi
cial temperament. The jury, impor-
family led by the fat bailiff. filed out Of
the courtroom. There We're no other
cases on the days list, and the judge
stalked down from the bench to await
the verdict in his chambers. John
went to his office Senator Murchell
and Whittredge conducted the droop-
ing Sheehan to the witness room away
from the curious eyes Of the crowd.
Most of the spectators waited to see
tho ond ~ tho drama