It frequently happens that an entire case will rest upon the
testimony of a single witness whose absence from the
jurisdiction would prevent the trial. An instance of such a
case was that of Albert T. Patrick, for without the testimony
of his alleged accomplice--the valet, Jones--he could not have
been convicted of murder. The preservation of such a witness
and his testimony thus becomes of paramount importance, and
rascally witnesses sometimes enjoy considerable ease, if not
luxury, at the expense of the public while waiting to testify.
Often, too, a case of great interest will arise where the
question of the guilt of the accused turns upon the evidence
of some one person who, either from mercenary motives or
because of "blood and affection," is unwilling to come to the
fore and tell the truth. A striking case of this sort
occurred some ten years ago. The "black sheep" of a prominent
New York family forged the name of his sister to a draft for
thirty thousand dollars. This sister, who was an elderly
woman of the highest character and refinement, did not care to
pocket the loss herself and declined to have the draft debited
to her account at the bank. A lawsuit followed, in which the
sister swore that the name signed to the draft was not in her
handwriting. She won her case, but some officious person laid
the matter before the district attorney. The forger was
arrested and his sister was summoned before the grand jury.
Here was a pleasant predicament. If she testified for the
State her brother would undoubtedly go to prison for many
years, to say nothing of the notoriety for the entire family
which so sensational a case would occasion. She, therefore,
slipped out of the city and sailed for Europe the night before