Year: 1867

A Clear Case Of conscience.


We have lately heard a capital story
connected with a prominent lawyer OF
| our village, who has distinguished him.
! self in defence Of criminals as well as
in connection with other trials, having
| frequently through his skill aided the
| most hardened criminals to escape from
justice. Some time ago, while cur friend
was attending court in an adjoining
county, he was applied to by a singular
specimen of humanity charged with
grand larceny, to defend him. The
lawyer very naturally inquired what
crime be was accused Of The party
accused replied that somebody had been
mean enough to charge him With steal
ing one hundred and fifty dollars in
bank notes, and had got him indicted.


'.Are you guilty 9' asked the lawyer.
That's none of your business" re-
piled the accused. s'They say that
makes no difference with you whether q
man is guilty or not, you will contrive
to dig him out in some way. So don't
talk any more about guilt till you hear
what the jury says"


"Well, what about the pay p said the
lawyer.


lyon hold On till the trial is over /,
give x (the complainant) HI on
the cross examination, and the other fell
| low he has got to back him up, and
you'll have no trouble with the pay"
The trial commenced, and proved to
be somewhat protracted and exciting
one The District Attorney proved that
| the money in question was composed of
two $50 bills on a certain bank, and the
remainder all in $40 bills, all Of which
were wrapped up in a piece of oil-silk.
The jury, after listening to the counsel
in the case, and receiving the charge of
of the Judge, retired. and soon brought
verdict of not guilty. The accused,
who was greatly elated with the result
invited the latter into one of the vacant
jury rooms. AS soon as they were
alone he slapped his counsel on the
shoulder and exclaimed:


Free as water, amt 1 p What's
the use of trying a man for stealing
when you're around? Now s'pose you
want your pay ?"


Eyes; have you got anything to pay
with - said the lawyer.


LEND me your knife and wen see
about that


The lawyer, slightly startled at such
rather reluctantly complied.


The accused Immediately commenced
ripping and cutting away at the waist
band of his pantaloons, and soon pro-
duced the roll Of bills, for the stealing
of which he had just been tried, wrap
ped up in the identical piece of Oil silk
described by the witnesses for the prose
cution, and throwing it down on the
table before the astonished lawyer, ex-
claimed:


"There, take your pay out of that; I
think there is enough there to pay you
tolerably well.'


Why, you william you stole that
money after all,' said the lawyer. "Do
you expect can take any of that mon
ey 2''


"Stole that money! Why, what are
You talking about. Didn't them twelve
men up stairs there just say l didn't
steal it? What the use of your try
ing to raise a question Of conscience,
after twelve respectable men have given
their opinion upon the subject? Take
you pay out Of that and ask no ques-
tions. Don't be modest in taking; l
got it easy enough, and you've worked
hard enough for it."


Our informant did not state how much
the lawyer took, but we presume the
chap didn't have much change left after
our friend had satisfied his conscience
in the California Paper.