Show 4 + rV I illll A lDC1 D AogtS DotrQer 1 bYRCB4f Y 5 Q cor t Copyright 1905 by Dally Story Tub Co > courtroom was crowded with tors eager to hear the evidence ttrfcltlng against a man al t iciotd of sight The government testl rs were rend with their aid anxious too for this case gtun them more trouble than 1 her In their experience irles Martin the accused be being almost totally blind had a street beggar and the detec although knowing full well that of the spurious coins had been id d by ilnrtin or his children had ed that he had received them ns from some passerby In conso e of this delusion the officers ainly followed clue after clue In entonor to find the guilty par dM last by tho merest accU hart discovered that the accused be maker of tho bogus money trial proceeded with the usual rallon the officers adding to evidence some broken molds srs of zinc lead and composition that had been found In Martins Several shopkeepers testified the accused man laid given them parlous coin In exchange for Martins lawyer appointed by irt offered no defence and the promptly brought In a verdict of r are you anything to say why ore should not be passed upon asked the court e blind man arose and stood his face pale and wan his > tall and slender swayed toro to-ro until ho rested his hand upon ill I of the dock for support For moments his face twitched con ely then by a strong effort he red his emotion and spoke In clear tone pjr It please the court ho began tIs no doubt whatever of the We justice of the verdict that en rendered I made and passed counterfeit coins and am ready If the punishment for my crime i Were I receive my sentence I I like nn opportunity to explain u and the jury why I became a terfftlter oa may proceed replied the lo whom Martins dignified Jig appealed y name Is not Martin what It Is all not divulge Five years ago Id a good position had a happy e and could afford to give my i Iy the comforts and even some of Injuries of life By the merest dent I lost my sight almost ea y I was able to get around In less crowded thoroughfares with laratlve safety during the day at night I was absolutely blind no time after the accident was Ito I-to rtad or write The little store money I had saved during my Jerous days despite the most economy melted away and then an Invalid wife and three small lien I stood face to face with problem of how to live ad you no friends or relatives fed the court sympathetically es sir I had both returned tIn his voice calm and deliberate FiEA9 I 1 auND r n u I Hl t been a street beggar ut hav he nay you ever known a friend aClr the first sympathetic Ira HIM her hd passed away stood by an oaring years of continued ad rjltvt wn There arc few 8llchlf any IS w ° ae fell to my lot As for rela tlng i I made strong appeals to them the many kind and generous a n s lIly father had done for them In ear days helpl s8nese Prosperity and of al t toMii8snCBB All this was with sfoat material avail One suggested DlOSl f4 rigid economy another ad lip 6 that my wife > an Invalid re instant care should go to work and support us others told n e to send my children the only coi fort I had left to sonic Instltutio Not onet striking his hand passlo ately against the rail offered ai y suggestion qr plan whereby I mig the t-he able to provide In the humble t way for my loved ones My wi e died under the strain of our addition I trials and then I Bought unaided 0 do for my children Did you try any other way than the one that has brought you to your present position 7 Inquired tho court kindly Theso hands answered the prls I Judge Saunders spoke kindly oner holding them up for a moment now scarred and seared by contact with the melting pot were once deft and capable 1 procured some clay and made tiny figures from It These I tried to sell but the sales were few People did not wish my wares when such ornaments better made are sold for less price at the stores Then nllzlng that my children were too small to comprehend what It meant to be a beggars child I stood with a I placard about my neek on the corner of the street asking for alms Some men are fitted for such but 1 soon realized that I was not for though 1 stood from dawn to dusk ofttlmes weary and faint but few coins fell Into my outstretched hand not sufficient I suf-ficient to provide bread for my children chil-dren Then It was In an < evll moment mo-ment perhaps that I thought of making mak-ing counterfeit coins Suspicion I felt would not rest upon a blind beggar beg-gar and In this way I would be able to keep my children from actual want I knew full well the enormity of the crime I was about to perpetrate perpe-trate but I preferred to take the risk to knowing the sufferings of my children chil-dren How did you manage to make such good Imitations Judge Saunders Saun-ders spoke kindly You only had sufficient suf-ficient sight to get about and not enough for such flije work My accomplice was my eightyear old boy a bright Ingenious lad but entirely Ignorant that he was doing anything wrong In aiding me replied re-plied the blind man I made the molds and did all I could and he gave me the assistance of his eyes Now your honor that Is all I wish to say sage that I made and passed only sufficient spurious coin to meet the nbsoluto needs of ray children and I will add that no man In this court loom ever tolled so hard for a mere livelihood as I did I am ready for your sentence sir Judge Saunders blew his nose with mire than usual force and at the same time wiped away sorno susplc lous moisture from his eyes Five years In the penitentiary ho said huskily and then beckoning to Martins Mar-tins lawyer added softly Draw un a petition to the President for a pardon par-don and I will take It to him In person per-son Feared a Coolness Bishop Ames tells of a Mississippi slave owner who said to one of his slaves Pompey I hear you are a great preacher Yes manna de Lord do help me powerful sometimes Well Pompey dont you think the negroes steal little tilings on the plan tatlon 7 Iso mighty raid they do massa Then Ponipoy I want you to preach a sermon to the negroes about stealing After a brief reflection Pompoy replied re-plied You see massa dat wouldnt never do cause tw6nld throw such a cools ness over de meeting Philadelphia Ledger |