The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1922-12-21
The Prosecutors
Love
BY MYRA e. LANE

Acquitted!
Eunlce Capell CROPPED dimly through
the fogs that enwrapped her as she be.
gan to understand the jury's verdict
The hand of the warden on her arm
steadied her. She became vaguely
conscious that the spectators in the
courtroom were cheering her.
Il must be brave" she thought, and
tried to stand erect and to smile.
But the reaction after the long
months Of strain was too great for
her, and a sigh went up from every.
body as she tottered and collapsed in q
dead faint.
Eunlce Capell had been acquitted Of
the murder Of her husband. They had
been married five years. Wlgan Capell
had been a brute and a sot, he had
loft the marks Of his bruises on her:
he had been unfaithful; and at last
when he attacked her In a drunken
fury she had calmly shot him with
the loaded pistol that she had In read
mess.
Acquitted, Of course Neyerthe.
less. Charles Ryecroft, the prosecuting
attorney, had bent all his efforts to
securing a conviction.
Granddaughter was the verdict hs
asked for; no jury would have found
her guilty Of murder. But day after
day he had hammered home his points,
and with such skill that in the end it
became doubtful whether he would not
sway the jury.
Ryecroft was young man, a COLI.
ing man; ne had been a friend of the
Capells, which made his task the hard.
er. But he had not fiinched from his
duty on that account.
Charles RyecrOft was known for his
single-hearted devotion to his career.
He had pressed for a conviction.
He had poured all his scorn and
obloquy upon the woman in the dock.
He had urged the jury not to yield
to the idea Of an unwritten law that
was to have precedence over the laws
Of the country
And on the last day, when he made
his great speech in surrebuttal, he had
risen to such heights of eloquence that
he had almost carried public opinion
with him.
Was woman, he asked, an unreasOn.
ing being, that she should be immune
from the laws? Was she incapable
Of acting with judgment? Had not
Eunice Capell plotted the crime, Sc
cure In her belief that the jury would
acQuit her?
They had heard 1t said that no WON.
an ever sought divorce without 2
meal ticket in view. A harsh judg'
ment, perhaps, but unfortunately true
he dared the unhappy woman in
the dock to stand up and say that she
had no lover in her heart, union with
whom would he the reward of the das
tardly deed.
When he sat down the courtroom
buzzed with faint applause. But the
verdict was mot guilty"
Ryecroft gathered up his papers and
left the courtroom. The spectators ani
the crowd outside made way for him
b silence.
TITS broken him." was the verdict
Then he was forgotten as they
watched Mrs. Capell and her lawyer
drive away In q taxi. They cheeret
her to the echo.
That night Eunice Capell, who hat
been sitting alone In her apartment
opened the door to a ring Of the bell
Ryecroft was standing outside. Sh'
did not seem surprised to see him, but
admitted him and led the way into hel
living.room.
"Sit down." she said. well? You
certainly did your best to secure IN!
conviction"
" did," said Ryecroft.
professional pride2"
"pride and duty. he returned, dig