Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 22.pdf/388

 366

The Green Bag

splendid opportunity to teach budding anar chists a lesson lest they go on and on in their evil ways and become conﬁrmed law breakers. “The young defendants all belonged to good families of the neighborhood, and they were much impressed by their grave predicament at the conclusion of the prosecutor's incisive statement. attorney.

"The tall preacher, with digniﬁed step and countenance, took

the witness-box,

placed the palms of his hands together, a picture of persecuted innocence. With pious earnestness he described the little assembly in the back country, how he had striven to develop a desire for right living and the commendable progress being made. He spoke more in sorrow than in anger concerning the inexcusable conduct of the young disturbers of his meeting, and felt certain that the only way to save them from a life of crime would be to inﬂict such punishment here as would cause them to remember ever after; he did not mean to be harsh; he was only actuated by a feeling of good towards the defendants—to be just to them. “This was a most serious way of putting it, and the big crowd-everybody in the adjoin ing townships was therchwondered what Sam was going to do about it. “When the witness was turned over to him Sam coughed in that dry way he had, and then began the examination:— “ ‘Brother Spears, you led the meetin‘ that night?‘

"_ ‘I did, sir.’ "‘You prayed?’ "‘I did, sir.' “ ‘And preached?‘ “ ‘I tried to.’ “ ‘And sung?’ “ ‘I sung.’ “ ‘What did you sing?‘ "‘There is a Fountain Filled with Blood,’ sir.’ “Here Sam pulled a hymn book out of his

pocket and handed it to the witness. with the remark:-— “ ‘Please turn to that song, Brother Spears.’ "The witness did so. “ ‘That's what you sung that night?’ “ ‘It is, sir.‘ “ ‘Well, stand up and sing it now, if you

please.’

“ ‘You heard what I said, Brother Spears.‘ "‘But I can't sing before this sort of crowd!’ “ ‘Brother Spears,’ with much apparent indignation, ‘do I understand that you refuse

to furnish legitimate evidence to this jury?’ “ ‘No—no-—but, you see—' “ ‘Your Honor,’ said Sam, turning to the

“ ‘Call Mr. Spearsl' said the prosecuting

solemn

“ ‘What!’

Court, ‘I insist that the witness shall sing the song denominated in the evidence just as he did on the night of the alleged disturbance. It is a part of our evidence, and very import ant. The reason for it will be disclosed later on.‘ "There was a long jangle between the lawyers. and the court ﬁnally ordered the witness to get up and sing. “ ‘And, mind you, Brother Spears,‘ said Sam, seriously, ‘you must sing it just as you did that night; if you change a note you will have to go back and do it over again.‘ "The witness got up and opened the book. There is a diﬁerence between singing to a congregation in sympathy with you and a

crowd of people in a court room.

Brother

Spears was painfully conscious of the fact. You know how those old-time hymns are sung in the backwoods settlements. You begin in the basement and work up to the roof and then leap 03 from the dizzy height and ﬁnish the line in the basement. That's the way the witness did. He had a good voice—that is, it was strong. If Gabriel's trumpet ever gets out of whack he could utilize that voice and wake the dead just as readily. It seemed to threaten the window lights. The crowd didn’t smile—it just yelled with laughter. The jurymen bent double and almost rolled from their seats. The Court

hit his cob pipe harder and tried hard to look solemn. It wasn't any use. There was only two straight faces in the house, and one be longed to a deaf man and the other to Sam Dysart. The singer ﬁnished and sat down. He looked tired. Sam immediately excused him. When the time for speechmaking came Sam remarked to the jury: ‘If you gentlemen think you could go to one of Brother Spears’s meetings and behave better than you have

here, why, you may be justiﬁed in convicting these boys and girls.‘ That was all he said. It was plenty. The jurymen acquitted the young defendants before they got their faces straight."