Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-11-11
III Ill I'M
I'LL I'LL iii

Eric without leaving the box, and on
the advice of the III himself. Adam
Carr opened his eyes n spoke aloud
for the first time since he was stricken
the week before.
II knew they would he said with an
effort. but quite distinctly. to the great
amazement OF the doctor and the nurse.
The Widow Payson and John were not
surprised. They understood the in
scrutable ways of the man.
The machinery of the law never
worked SO fast as in the case of the
State VS.. Eric Midthorne. Five days
after he surrendered himself to the
sheriff. his case was called for hear
ing. The court room was crowded, for
the Courier had announced the trial
day n hour No one was there in the
hope Of finding fresh sensations. but
to hear the story of the fight from the
lips of the victor himself.
Inside the railing sat the entire bar
of the city. Judge Oswald Bright came
over from the capital and occupied a
seat on the bench beside the court. His
daughter sat with Mary Midthorne at
the defendants table. Horace Blagden
and his wife had seats so close to Eric
that they could lean forward and whis-
per in his ear an oft repeated act
which sent a thrill of appreciation
through the big audience. and had a
moral though utterly wasted effect on
the jury.
The preliminaries We're brief. Mr..
States Attorney Collins cad the affi-
davit on information and belief and
called his only witness-the sheriff Of
the county. who merely testified that
the prisoner at the bar was the man
mentioned in the instrument and that
he a openly confessed to the Staying
Of Chetwynd Blagden. The state rest
ed. The audience leaned back with an
audible breath Of relief.
The defense very naturally moved to
quash the Indictment, on the ground
that the corpus deficit had not been
established. but formally withdrew the
motion a moment later, as a part of the
program. to permit Eric M%idthorne to
tell his story on the stand The audi
ence listened with GREATNESS interest
to the recital, dividing it's attention be-
tween the young man in the box and
the grey haired parents Of Chetwynd
Blagdea. watching with eager eyes for
some sign of animosity on their part.
If h people expected or hoped for a
demonstration they were disappointed.
The Blagdens sat very still and erect.
their pinched backs to the multitude,
their heads twisted slightly toward the
witness. from whose face their gaze
was not once removed during the un-
INTERRUPTED recital At it's conclusion
they turned expectantly toward the
states attorney.
Horace Blagden's figure Strengthened
p~erceptibly. A moment later his own
name was called. He arose slowly
at any other time we would have said
pompously-and slipped into the wit
ness box. A stir swept through the
crowd: Here was a sensation. after all.
Facing the Judge. the great man OF
Corinth took the oath. his right hand
uplifted. 1t did not tremble. He then
testified to tho reputation of the de
PENDANT for truth and ~veracitv, and to
his standing in the community. That
was all: be gave it clearly. unfa1ter-
ingly. He was not asked if he were the
father Of the deceased. 1t was as the
first citizen of Corinth that he testified.
One could have been excused for smil-
ing at the theatric display of self re-
gard that overshadowed the real inten-
ton OF the man. The great man OF
Corinth was speaking. No one could
have asked for more thar that.
Horace Blagden did not mean TO
place himself in a false position. He
was intensely sincere in his desire to
dissipate all doubts in the minds of the
t~ownspeople as to his attitude toward
his nephew. No more convincing way
could have presented itself, he argued,
than this opportunity to publicly re-
peat the sentiment embodied in his
earlier newspaper expression. Adam
Carr, when he heard of the act. uttered
an opinion that no one else dared to
voice:
"Old Horace simply can't help it. It's
born in him. When he dies. by the
grace, he'll lie in state. And. no mat
ter how dead he is. he'll know he's ly-
ing in state"
The Judge instructed the jury to find
for the defendant. and Eric was ais
| cbartrad fr,Jn c1ctn5v o1r,nct L.fo~.
you could have counted ~.
The whole affair was so %palpably
predestined that 1T savoured Of trav-
esty. n vet there was a seriousness
about it all that could not be mistaken.
The law itself did not come in for much
consideration. So far as the real legal
aspects Of the case We're concerned. al
precedents were violated. But no one
cared about that. Not a single soul in
all Corinth desired the punishment OF
Eric Midthorne. Corinth. therefore. was
the law.
Eric's trial was much the same as q
wedding or a funeral-a matter of g
few very important minutes and Their
everybody going about his own bust
ness as if it hadn't occurred. The wed
ding means a great deal to the fellow
who is getting married. and the funera
is of the utmost Importance to the char
who is being buried. out the world does
not care a scrap what happens to either
of them after it is all over. Most of Us
get married and all of us die. People
come and see us do both. if the oppor.
tunity presents itself. and go AVA
thoroughly satisfied hat it is the enc
of the matter so far as they are con
cerned.
Corinth would have stepped up ant
congratulated Eric on his %acquittal if 1
could have M so with propriety. Blu
there had been ample time for reflec
ton. The magnanimous Blagdens wer'
to be considered. How would it appea
to them if everyone rushed up to shak'
hands with the destroyer Of their onl,
son? Dreadful! So Corinth. or as muci
of it as could be crowded into tn
courtroom. considerably effaced itsel
as soon as the verdict was given.
While the crowd was leaving tn
courtroom, the judge on the bencl
calmly turned to the clerk and said:
Call the mex case, Mr.. Clerk"
The regular panel remained in tn
jury box: the sheriff went over to tn
telephone and called up the gaol; ant
half an hour later a dissolute sailo
from the water front was on trial 70
stealing a pound Of tobacco, and tn
states attorney was working his heat
Gf, SO to speak. to secure the maximum
penalty. One has to rake an example
of such chaps. you see. Society de
mandS it.