The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-05-16

nave n0dFu MT. 1uOTul0y testify TO
how, when giving chase, the burglar
threw away something which was sub
quently found to be deadly, a MUIR
derous weapon, revolver with all
five chambers loaded.
"You have heard the testimony of
the officer who made the arrest. We
have also listened to the statements
of the officers who examined the de-
PENDANT Immediately upon his arrest,
and l must say, gentlemen, that no
comment is necessary. How can he,
who SO stoutly maintains his inno-
cence, have the impudence to say that
he knows, or thinks he knows, the
burglar? Why will he not reveal this
knowledge? Because, gentlemen, he
cannot prove this statement. 1t is
simply
The remainder of the eminent prose
cutor's speech was lost upon Alice, for
at that moment the door to the court
room opened, and her attention was
distracted by the entrance of Father
German. She watched the venerable
priest, who seemed furried and ex-
cited, as with hasty stride he made
his way down the aisle, behind the
jurors box, where he stopped from
approach of court-attendant. She
saw him in earnest conversation with
the officer, and she observed the lat
ter as he left the priest to hurry to
the bench and whisper something to
the presiding judge.
Il would ask the attorney for the
| prosecution to pause a few moments,
while the court takes temporary re-
cess" the judge said, as the officer left
the bench to return to the priest.
The prosecutor, surprise depicted in
every lineament of his stern counte-
nance, disappointed and chagrined,
was unable to understand the cause of
this interruption.
Father German was conducted to
the bench, where he was invited to a
seat beside the judge. Attorneys,
jurors, court-attendants, witnesses
and spectators looked on in wonder
and amazement, as the two conferred
earnestly over letter which the
priest handed the Judge.
Gentlemen" the judge began, re-
moving his glasses after reading the
letter, Gin justice to the defendant we
are obliged to postpone this trial for
several days. The reverend gentle.
man, Father German, has just receiv.
ed a very important communication
which has strong bearing on the
4 case"
Alice felt the increased pulsations
of her heart as this announcement was
made; but the panied expression on
Toms face as he heard the judges
words puzzled and troubled her ex
ceedingly. She could not fathom the
meaning of it.
This letter." the judge continued
lis dated, Chicago, ILL.,, September 22d
and addressed to Reverend Father
German, Rector of st. Agnes Church
The letter speaks for ITSELF" and then
he read:
Rev. Dear Sir:
"I have read of the interest you
are taking in one Tom Passen, ar
rested in your city for burglary, and
have noted the opinion you expressed
for publication. That opinion is cor
rect; and yet you cannot blame the
police for believing him guilty, for the
circumstances are against him.
I am writing you this to thank
you for the interest you have shown
in behalf of an innocent man, who
would sacrifice his liberty rather thar
his kin. I say an innocent man, fol
Tom Passen is innocent of the crime
with which he is charged. The guilty
sequently found to be deadly, a muir
he for whom Tom Passen is riskins
his liberty, is on his way to your city
to give himself up to the authorities
and serve out the sentence which his
twin brother, Tom, is willing to i'm
pose upon himself, rather than betray
loved one.
ct, the undersigned, twin brother
of Tom Passen, was ever the blacl
sheep Of the family. Verify, believe
!, that my life and conduct fastened my
mothers death. Wild and waywarC
as I was, she loved me as only {
mother can love, more than deserved
On her dying bed she exacted from
Tom promise that he would evel
have care for my welfare. Tha
promise was indeed unnecessary, fol
} that big heart of his was ever on the
alert to do me good turn.
"'The night before l entered Mr.
Thornley's house, made my pres
ence in the city known to Tom. A:
he had always done, again he preach
ed to me, begged me to return to the
as child, was taught to walk; but
l would have none of his sermons.
path Of honesty and virtue in which
"T did not tell him of my deter
mination to rob the Thornley, home;
but / suppose that when he was ar
rested and identified as the burglar
he surmised that his hayward brother
was the guilty one, for we are sc
much alike that only familiarity with
both could distinguish one from the
other. Would to God that our hearts
characters and dispositions could bear
the same comparison!
Perhaps, dear Father, you may
ask what is it that has forced me to
write this? Is it any feeling of broth
erly love? Is it because I wish to
right an injustice? Or is it because
of the heroic sacrifice displayed by