The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-02-02

the courtroom. The judge scowled
The case had already attracted unen
ylable notorlety. The newspapers wer,
full Of II. lie was receiving criticism
And he felt the injustice OF II all. No
body seemed 10 understand that he haC
placed his own sympathles aside. M
one thought that he might feel for tn,
prisoner. No one understood that hi,
function was simply 20 carry out the
law.
And all through that day and the
next he felt the sympathies OF the jury
turn toward the prisoner, and he hard.
ened his heart and resolved that their
verdict should not be acqulttal. All the
while, too, he was conscious OF the
cynical look In the eyes of the prisoner.
The case ended at last, as even the
greatest Of cases must come to an end.
Counsel for both sides had delivered
their speeches. II was now his turn
to speak. He was summing up. And
he proceeded with grave dellberation.
He expOunded the circumstances Of the
crime. Nobody had made the sugges-
tion that the man might not be guilty.
The facts were proved. He hammered
that In. He told the jury that they
must find a verdict according to the
facts-whlch were proven.
"Have a little pityp cried the prls-
oner's wife, leaping to her feet with a
dramatic gesture. "Are you a man2
Is your heart carved out of dint?
"Be silentw rOared the judge IRE
move that woman from the court
ROOM"
She struggled and shrieked all the
while, and the courtroom was in an up
roar. Every face that met the judges
was hard and condemnlng. He noticed
that: for an instant there flashed
through his mind the memory of his
wife and little girl. How happy he
was at hOmel Why couldn't they un.
derstand that 1t was just to protect
such homes that the law was made?
But what was he thinking? 1t was
In such defense that the prisoner had
committed his action. The judge be-
came confused. He stammered lit
tie when, the court being cleared of the
disturbance, he took up his charge
again.
"The facts are proved" he went on.
THE law wisely and rightly demands a
life for life. Only Ia extenuating cir
cumstances does it permit you to bring
In a lesser verdict than that of MUIR
der In the first degree. If you find that
these eXtenuating circumstances were
of the nature of ignorance of the ma.
ture Of the crime, or of lack of intent
to Kill, you may bring in u verdict of
manslaughter. If you find that there
was no premeditation you may bring
in one of murder in the second degree.
But these circumstances do not exist.
The crime, the motive are clear"
1t was odd how that shrewd, cynical
gaze Of the prisoner disturbed him. He |
broke off in confusion. And suddenly
he seemed to sway in his seat. He re-
manned with mouth open, and his face
was ashen pale.
Two minutes must have elapsed be. !
fore he spoke again. and in the mean. |
time deepening sense of uneasiness
had settled about the court. The Jury,
who had already decided upon a YER
dict of manslaughter, waited in polite
Impatience. Some thought the fudge
was i'll.
"The law" he went on, 'is quite
clear. Some say that there are deeper
moral laws than human ones, which we
ought to obey. Some claim that the
voice of conscience is stronger than
he enactments of the legislature, when
-hese conflict. 1t Is not for me to pass
lpon these statements. We are all hui
nan and fallible, gentlemen. The pris-
'ner was gravely wronged; he took
he same course of action that many
men would have taken. He took the
'ourse that you and l might have
aken-wOuld have taken. l commit
he case to your care, gentlemen, with
he assurance that you will judge wise
y and rightly"
The newspaper men in the court
DOM stared at one another and wrote
s fast as their pens would fly. The
1dge's speech was the sensation of the
rial. An account of it appeared few
minutes after the verdict, in every pa
er, under some heading implying that
he judge had at last abandoned his
lflexible determination. Judge Par
lns Approves Unwritten Law" one
eading ran.
His charge had been practically an
lstruction to the jury to acquit. 1t
as easy enough to read between the
mes of the half-hearted message. But
part from the words there was some
ling in the judges manner, the tone,
ne gesture that wrought upon all
carts.
The verdict, "NOt Guilty" was re- t
rned within ten minutes after the Il
dge's charge was finished. The pris- v
Ter left the court free man, his wife Il
ith him, sobbing, surrounded by the C
ger jurymen, whom she was trying c
thank. The judge slipped out by II
s private door and made his way e
o.
The decision of his legal life was
oxen. He had come to recognize a II
CHER law than that upon the statute a
ok. For he had recognized in the al
lsoner the man whom he had e.
Onged, so many years before. IL
Playing Possum.
When caught, the possum will feipn 81
lth. all the while looking out of the a