The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-11-28
The Judges
Decision
By FREDERICK CLARKE.

Copyright- 1921. Western Newspaper Union
The last day Of the month, the lasi
month Of the year, the last hour OF
the session of the great criminal
court In which the famous case OF the |
State VS. Walden Renstone, charged
with conspiracy to defraud. had
dragged its slow length for q full |
~eek-such q time. the scene, the eli. |
max
There had been little but the hum |
drum progress OF the law In the case
until that day. The Judge, William
Eaton, had listened TO the evidence
In his usual subdued manner. The
Fate OF the prisoner had been fore
stalled. 1t seemed patent that Wal
den Renstone, accused Of selling
fraudulent bonds with the collision
Df * band Of disreputable brokers. was
guilty.
The last evidence was In. the state
was about to begin It's argument. when
q woman. deeply yelled, who had sat
beside the prisoner all through the
trial, arose to her feet, threw back
her veil and confronted the judge and
jury.
If the eyes or the courtroom had
been fixed upon the judge instead OF
upon this woman, there would have
been noticed a culver pass over the
austere face, dignity, self-control go
hurtling to the winds, sudden pallor
obscure the set, statuesque features.
Then, with his glance riveted, fas-
cinated, Judge Eaton simply bowed
/ as the woman made a request 10
speak In behalf OF her husband.
"Let me plead for him, let me tell
my storyl" she cried. Guilty or in
nocent, give me the opportunity to
show that he is more sinned against
than SHINING"
"Object !" cried the attorney for the
state.
"Overruled," came mandatorily from
the lips of the judge, and the abashed
| attorney stood petrif1ed at this dis
tinct violation of precedent and usage.
1t was a pitiful story the woman
told, of a reckless man with a loyal,
patient wife. He had been deceived
by bad companions. In the midst Of
poverty temptation had come. Look
at him-a consumptive, a physical
wreck. The doctors, she said, had
given him up to die, his span Of life
was limited.
AS in a daze the Judge listened to
the arguments that followed. AS In
q dream he went back In his life
twenty years. The only woman In
whom he had ever been interested
was this woman. He had known her
as Lucille Danvers. He worshiped her
at distance. She had married Rem
stone-he had never forgotten.
And now, In her forlorn plight, she
had revealed herself as the wife Of
the man whose name the judge had
almost forgotten. Then came the
charge Of the judge to the jury.
In CONSERVATION friends of the
Judge listened TO his charge; the pros
ecuting attorney heard, appalled,. The
counselor for the defendant looked
up in wonder. Erect and motiOnless
as a statue, In his erudite, fOrcible
manner. Judge Eaton quoted the law.
applied II to a remission of the guilt
Of the prisoner, and practically ig-
nored the results of the evidence. I'm
pressed by a realization OF the SUI
perior knowledge of the judge, the
fury retired and brought In q verdict
Of
mot guiltyP'
A few minutes after Judge Eaton
had entered his chambers the next
morning, two associate judges came
to him. They looked serious and
troubled.
Judge" spoke one Of them, 1--WE are
your friends, as you know. Your de-
cision in the RenstOne case has caused
N great deal of criticism. We fear
the bar association will demand an in
vestigatiOn."
He extended a folded document.
"Read It." he said, stone-faced, not
a culver in his mastery mien. 1t was
his formal resignation Of the Judge
ship.
From that day Judge Eaton disap-
peared from public view. 1t was ru-
mored that he had retired to small
family estate.
Then current gossip told of a heavy
property loss, of his serious illness.
and then the world forgot him.
From that Illness, three years after
he had made the sacrifice Of wealth.
position and judicial honor out of
sympathy for a woman, Judge Eaton
came back to consciousness to find
a beautiful young girl at his side.
She had acted as his nurse for over
a month
And in a day or two she told him
who she was-the daughter Of Walden
and Lucille Renstone. Both we're
dead, but had spent two years of
comfort and peace since he had saved
her father from Imprisonment.
An unexpected fortune had come TO
Renstone. Dying, he had directed his
daughter 10 pay OF all he had emhez-
zled. Dying. her mother had blessed
the noble man who had sacrificed his
/ 10 horTr