The Barnwell people. (Barnwell, S.C.) 1884-1925, September 10, 1914, Image 6
PUBLIC
DEFENDER
By F. A. MITCHElf
In a weatern community Into wfakb
tkn people were Introducing courts of
law John Bradshaw, a man to whom
every one looked up as a very wise
matt, suggested that together with a
public prosecutor they bare a public
defender. Mike Conover replied to the
suggestion.
“It seems to me,” be said, “that it's
hard enough to get at the truth with
a prosecutor to muddle the jury. If we
hare a defender to throw up the same
amount of dust who’s going to see
through It all?”
But Mike bad no standing with ^e
community beside Bradshaw, who was
a large man with an Impressive de
meanor and seldom spoke, but when
he did his words seemed to weigh a
ton. The public defender was ap|K>lnt-
yd, and the citlsens congratulated them
selves that Justice thereafter would be
provided for accused persons as well
as for the state.
The first person to come before the
court was Mike Conover himself. A
robbery had been committed In the
town Involving the loss of a watch
and about $10 In currency. It had oc
curred about 12 o’clock at night. Joel
Uarkness had been walking home
when some one came up behind him.
put his arms around him, and a scuffle
bad ensued. The street was not light
ed, and Ilarkness did not see bis as
aallant, who soon released his bold.
When Ilarkness arrived at home be
found that he had been relieved of a
gold watch and chain and the money
which he had carried In bis vest |»ocket.
He reported the matter to the police,
who advised him to any nothing about
the matter for the present. They were
engaged in ferreting out other crimi
nalities, and It would aid them If the
criminal supposed that ilarknesa bad
pocketed his loss without reporting It
A few days after this Mary Doolan
went to see Mrs. Conover, but. not
finding her at borne, saj down In the
living room. Mary bad very keen ears
and, bearing a ticking, wondered where
it came from. Making a search, she
found a gold watch and chain In a bu
reau drawer.
Mike being a poor laborer, Mary
knew that be could not afford any
such timepiece and talked about bier
find to her neighbors. The Incident
reached the ears of the police. A
search was made of Mike’s home and
the watch found. Harkuess without
hesitation Identified It as his property.
The hills he bad lost were not found,
but they could not been Identified
If they bad been found. ,
Mike was arrested, and the public
defender called upon him to beer what
he had to say and prepare his defense.
The lawyer was a young man full of
the dignity of the law. He was am
bitious to take a prominent part in [
politics and hoped to make capital for |
himself out of this his first case as
public defender Mike assured him
that he was |KTfectly Innocent. He
had gone out to work very early one
morning and came upon a gold watch |
and chain lying on the sidewalk. He
picked them up and took them home
after his day's work, showing them
to his wife and asking her what to do
about it Bridget said that the owner j
of the watch had doubtless dropped It
unawares and would advertise it lu a
loss notice tacked to a tree or In the |
town paper, which would In? Issued lu
a few days. He had l>etler be on the :
lookout for such notice. But nothing ;
appeared on the trees or hi_the patter, i
and Bridget told Mike when he went
to work on the day of his arrost that
she would try to find the owner.
The public defender listened to this
statement with supreme contempt In
the first place he did not believe it,
in the second he could not prove it
and In the third he proposed to show
his Ingenuity in getting his client off.
He asked Mike how much money he
had. and Mike said that Bridget was
his banker and he Ivelleved she had
something like $200 In a stocking. The
defender told him to bring It to him.
"Mike," he said, "your story would
never go down with a jury. We must
prove an alibi.” Mike' didn't know
what an alibi was, but he produced
the $200.
At the trial the prisoner was aston
ished to learn that on the night of the
robbery he was in a town fifty tulles
distant and at midnight was drinking
In the Alhambra saloon with several
witnesses who swore to the statement
The defendant made a strong case,
and the prosecutor was much troubled
to disprove the alibi. He talked all
day to gain time and during the night
paid one of the defendant’s witnesses
$10 to swear that he had been mis
taken In the man. This broke down
the statements of the other witnesses
for the defense, and the facts were so
conclusive against the prisoner that he
■was convicted without the Jurors leav
ing their seats.
“Michael Conover, stand up,” said
the Judge. “Have you anything to say
tvhy sentence ahould hot be passed
upon you?’’
“I have.” said ai voice, and a man
In clerical garb came forward and ask
ed to be sworn. Then be saldri
“Bridget Conover, the prisoner's wife,
came to me recently to be confessed.
She told me that her husband bad
found a watch gind chain and asked me
what he ahoulado to find the owner.”
Here was evidence that even the
imhllc prosecutor did not think of re-
totflng Vtka nanalaad a, asw tilal awd
waa acquitted by the jury that had
went, forth a
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‘ ‘ • ' t
THREE
PRIZES
v
FREE
THREE
• 1
• PRIZES
FREE
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In connection with the Pony arid Outfiit, which is the first prize in the
contest, we have concluded (on account of the popular manner in which the
contest has been received by the boys and girls) to add TWO more prizes—
making three in all—the second prize is a fine gold watch or diamond ring
and the third prize is a boy's or girl’s bicycle.
VATIT /^nt Dll Mr A fen r hours work each day may be the Ft,.
It Oh llvl DU^f means of getting a valuable prize FREE JO..
THIS CONTEST WILL CLOSE DECEMBER 1ST 1914
if
PARENTS, FRIENDS AND REUATIVES
should sic that their favorite is nominated in this big contest
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Rules Few and Simple.
For (\icjr>vn!wiiption to this paper votes will lie given according to tl e
length of subsei i pi ion.
All stubs from fi^eCipts denoting number ol votes to which the contest
ant is entitled must be turned m eaeh week.
AH-dujplKHite stub*-arc deposited in a ballot box and nut opened until
end of contest.
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a
For new or < Id si.hx ii) lions paid in advance each sej a raio^subscription
1 year
SI I'd
* counts for
.1,000 votes
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d.ooo
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$4. no
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vears
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Subscriptions'fei a longer period Than live yeais not solicited or desired-* y ‘
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Fill out this noraination coupon which ^counts for 1000 votes and mail or biing
to The People by or before October stl/TQld - '
Idlewild Pony Contest Nomination Blank
—GOOD FOR 1,000 VOTF
>. Only Count* One Time
Editor The Barnwell People,
' ' Barnwell, S. C., '
Dear Sir: I nominate
Address, j Age
as a Conteatant in tlys great contest. ' I
THIS NOMINATION BLANK NOT GOOD AFTER OCTOBER 1ST mU.
THE BARNWELL
■ ■jwrr'r-awTf.swri'Wi,
barnUtll, s: c.
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