The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1914-11-26
A. HAPPY
NEE TING
By EVERETT 2. CLARKE

The case OF the people against jacob
Severance. or Edward Todd; or a num-
Der of other names which might be
applied to the prisoner. was called.
The prosecuting attorney expected to
prove that he was the notorious Jake
Severance who had committed any
number Of confidence games and was
the slickest operator in that line in
America. The trial was to come Of in
the county seat, where he, had been
captured working as farmland to
escape those who were after him. It
was at the height Of the haying sea-
son. and the farmers were all endeav-
oring to get in their crops before the
next rain. Consequently there was
difficulty in making up jury. for
whenever a man had valid excuse
for not serving he availed himself Of
it. Finally the panel stuck at the
twelfth juryman. r
"A farmer entered the courtroom and
looked about him with that wild glance
common among countrymen who find
themselves in an unfamiliar position.
us this we're reel estate offis?" he
asked.
"No. it's a courtroom" replied the
sheriff.
ooh! 1 thort it was reel estate
offs. want to buy a farm"
"Do you belong about here?"
"No. I come from Canada. I got
tired Twin under the British flag, and
I want to git property yere."
II say, my friend, how would you
like to help US out as a juryman? You
will get dollar day for sitting still
and doing nothing"
II don't know nothin' about juries;
never s0t on one"
The farmer was persuaded, and the
jury was complete. When the prison
er was brought forth for trial he cast
sweeping glance over the twelve anx-
iously.
The man from Canada seemed un-
easy in finding himself in a jury box
and kept looking about him here and
there as If he feared something awful
was about to be sprung upon him.
"Jacob Severance, you are accused
off,
II amt Jacob Severance; I'm Tom
Barker"
The farmer juryman at this was seen
to start.
where do you hail from?"
Ontario, Canada"
The farmer arose from his seat, look
ed ixedly at the prisoner and said:
els you! the. Tom Barker that run
away with my darter?'' 80.
II run away with a gal named Bar
ker, but I never seen her dad" =
"Mathildy Barker2"
"Yes, my wife,s names Mathildy."
"Whar's my darter7' asked the old
man pathetically.
''she's to hum with the kids, while I
am tryin' to make enough az farm help
to keep 'em alive"
"Tell me whar kin find her. done
her big wrong when I told her she
shouldn't marry a man I had never
seen. Her mother has been most heart
broken since she went away and pinin'
for her all the time 80 900 2
The court business stood still while
!. this dialogue was in progress. When
it had come to this point the prosecut-
ing attorney said:
HYour honor 1 have no objection to
: this man takingathe witness stand to
clear up what has evidently been a
mistake. But since he is a juryman he
must be. excused as sach.'' ..::ss -
A new juryman was found, and the
stranger took the. witness stand. He
told q, pathetic story Of how. his only
daughter, who was q schoolteacher
across the International line, had writ
ten that she was going to marry one
Tom Barker, a young farmer who was
trying to pay for farm he had bought
mostly on credit Her father object
ed to the match on the ground of pow
erty and tried to stop her by telling
her that IL she persisted in the matter
she would never again be welcomed
home. From that day he had never
seen OF heard from her. Then he broke
down and wept.
Handkerchiefs appeared all over the
courtroom.
"Your honor" said the lawyer who
had the prisoners case in charge, this
IL evidently a case Of mistaken identi-
ty. The man the police is looking for
ID a very different person from the
prisoner. I move that the case be dis
missed
The judge, who noticed that the
sympathies Of all were With. the poor
farmer and his son-in-law. consented,
and the case was taken OF the docket.
Then the farmer went up to his SON.
in-law, put out his hand and told him
how sorry he was that he had taken
such harsh measures with his daugh-
ter. But" he added. "I've sold the
farm for a,good price. and I've come
down yere to bay another. Well set
tie among these good people, work the
farm together, and, when I'm gone
! Aahuldy shall have 1t. Meanwhile
there's plenty for all Of u.s."
s.. Half dozen rloraono ~sfhoeoA