"As I was passing ----'s warehouse on the county road, this neighbor
walked into it out of his yard, and just as I came opposite the door he
stuck his head out and put his hand into his hip pocket. Before he got
a chance to shoot, I had shot him through the fleshy part of his right
hip. He lived several days. I feel sure he needn't have died, if given
proper care.
"I laid a long time in jail before the trial. My people were too poor
to get me all the defense I needed. Unfortunately, my lawyer, though a
brilliant man, was a drunkard. Father impoverished the whole family to
raise money to clear me, all to no effect. I am here for twenty-five
years, when I ought to be out trying to help make them comfortable in
their old age. I hear they are very, very poor. Oh, how I wish I could
help them!..."
He told me where they lived, and I resolved, God willing, to take a
trip, in the interests of Beth-Adriel, in that direction, and told him
I would try to see them, though making no promises toward aiding him in
gaining his freedom, for as yet I had only his word as to the truth of
this story.
It was a whole day's journey, and, being very tired on reaching my
destination, I did not look them up until morning. I can yet see that
very clean, poverty-stricken room. I sat on the only chair it
contained, the little mother sat on the bed, the father on an old
trunk. The father hadn't "struck it rich" yet. Prospectors are always
hopeful, sometimes realizing their hopes, but not often. The mother,
whenever able, worked in the fruit. In some way they managed to eke out
a bare but honest living. They could not have been much poorer.
We discussed Henry's case pro and con. Evidently he had not overdrawn
the truth. Before the day was over we were in consultation with a
friendly disposed attorney, who drew up petition papers. Before these
were out of the printer's hands, I had held conferences with several
people and clergymen, and had also made engagements in the interest of
Beth-Adriel. The Lord was touching hearts and money was being added to
its treasury. Soon I was doing double duty, aided by Henry's father. He
went on his bicycle from place to place in the county where this
homicide had been committed, whilst I took the stage or the train as
the case might require, speaking in his behalf as well as securing
funds for the home. Finally we reached the county seat. There I learned
from many--even officials--that Henry's sentence was unjust; but,
owing to their political positions, I could obtain very few of their
signatures. The judge who had sentenced Henry told me that he could not
sign, he being then the attorney for the widow of the dead man.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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