by C.P. Murphy
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The following two weeks had the citizens of Millersport preparing for a new trial. Thomas fought to be let out of the station but his demands went unheard from everyone except his parents. Daniel had paid him a visit the day after his arrest to let him know that he was leaving to find a suitable attorney. Daniel encouraged his son to keep his head up and assured him that nobody had the right to lock a Van Martin up the way they had with Thomas. He didn’t think for one moment that his son could commit such a heinous crime and was determined to do whatever it took to help set Thomas free. He traveled to New York City to look for a lawyer willing to take on the case. Daniel planned on using as much money as it took to find someone respectable and powerful. Once he found the right man for the job, he had brought him back to Millersport where the attorney could learn about what was going on and to get as many details of the murder as possible. Daniel had brought him to see Thomas as soon as they arrived and though Thomas was relieved that someone would help, he shown no appreciation towards his father at all.
Catherine went to see her son every day and did all she could for him. He had complained about the bed he was forced to sleep in and she had rushed out to bring him comfortable blankets and pillows. He then complained about the food and insisted that she bring him something worth putting in his mouth. Again, she did as she was told and brought him all of his meals. Still Thomas scowled her to where she cried in front of him. She begged him to treat her like a mother instead of a maid but his only reply was, “What’s the difference?” One day she woke and thought about not wasting her time to see him but then feared that he would be disappointed. It wasn’t like Catherine to displease him and she knew that she held most of the blame for the way he turned out. Thomas was a spoiled rotten son, and she knew that all the years of given him everything his heart desired had caused his attitude.
There was nothing for the Samuels family to do throughout the two-week span but to wait. Wait to see what happened the night that Amelia disappeared; wait to see what Jacob had said to the constable to convince the authority that Thomas was the killer they’ve been waiting to find. Business slowed down for Henry as half of the village sided with the Van Martins. Some of the people who believed Thomas innocent did so because of family friendships but most of the people who acted as if they didn’t believe he was guilty were families were employed at the brickyard. Nobody could ever confirm that they were threatened by Daniel but as time went by, it had become obvious. The only villagers who dared step foot into the apothecary store where true mourners of Amelia’s and wanted to see the villain pay just as much as the family did.
For Jacob Miller, the two weeks were pure agony. First, they tried not to let anyone find out who was responsible for having Thomas put on trial but things of that nature were not kept quiet in a village as small as Millersport for long. Once people learned it was Jacob, they tormented him every chance they had to the point where he’d spent most of his time indoors and away from all the criticizing. He had his doubts about how he had handled things and even went as far as trying to convince the constable to forget what he had said. It was no good though and deep inside Jacob knew that the truth needed to come out. Emma had remained by his side and encouraged him to tell the public what happened that night. He had told her he didn’t think she should go to the trial, given how close she was with the victim. Emma wouldn’t listen though. She said that she needed to know what happened to Amelia and even hoped that something would be said to make her believe that Amelia forgave her before she died.
At last the opening day of the trail came. The village was sure that this time it would be longer than the last which was only hours long. Thomas awoke early and was eager to get the day going. He looked at himself in the damaged mirror that was provided for him. The clothes he wore had been on him since the day they brought him to the horrible jail. He thought even with dirty clothing he was the most handsome man around. He was rubbing his hands through his greasy hair when he heard someone being let in. “It’s about time you arrived,” he shouted at Catherine when she poked her head through the slight opening of the door. “I hope you have a wash tub for me and clean clothes, Catherine.” He hadn’t called her ‘mother’ since he was old enough to attend school.
“Thomas please,” she pleaded once again as she stepped into the room. She didn’t need him to tell her what to bring on such an important date. Placing the small basin of hot water down on the only table in the room, she reminded him how much trouble she had gone through just to get there. “You know Thomas, that it isn’t easy for me to bring you these things. Everyone is stopping me on the streets looking for the latest information.”
“You should just ignore them,” Thomas shouted at her for her ignorance. Catherine looked down at her shoes. She would have liked to put him in his place but knew that would get her in trouble. Truth was, she couldn’t let herself fall out of the social circle and wanted to talk to all the women who met her along the way to the constable’s station. She took a clean towel and hand clothe out of the bag she carried along, hung his suit up so it wouldn’t wrinkle, and then told him to wash up as she stepped outside the door.
“Where is the soap?” Thomas snapped. He had his hands in the water searching for the bar, not caring how much water he was spilling. He heard his mother answer, telling him she must’ve forgotten to take it out of the bag. “Next time, don’t be so stupid,” he yelled at her. He cleaned himself up and put on his suit before telling her she could reenter the room.
“You’ll find your socks and shoes in this other bag,” she informed him. “I can’t stay. I’ll see you in a few hours at the town hall.”
“No, I don’t want you there,” Thomas instructed her. He knew she was too emotional and the last thing he needed was for his mother to embarrass him. “There’s no need, the last trial was over before it began and so will this one.”
Catherine said nothing to him but she would not stay home as her only son stood trial for murder. Instead she hurried herself off but before leaving, she leaned over to kiss him on the forehead.
Thomas felt he was too old for a mother’s kiss and moved away just seconds before her lips reached his head. Catherine stopped and thought for a moment about what she should say to him but knew that nothing would bring him closer to her. She stood and walked out the door.
Once again, Henry had gathered his family to attend the trial together. This time Beth had stayed at the Samuels house to care for Millie, David Jr., and for little Mary. She had made an agreement with Ruth and the two ladies would take turns so they each could hear what was going on. As soon as he saw she had the children settled, Henry led his family off towards the Meeting house.
When they arrived, they noticed Patrick waiting for them by the entrance of the building. Anna rushed up to him and they embraced each other. Henry noticed but said nothing. His mind was still wondering what Jacob had said that brought everyone together to try another man. With Patrick joining them as if he were part of the family, they entered the building and took their seats in the first row. Minutes later they noticed the District Attorney walk in the room and move towards them. They all knew him from the first trial and hoped that this time he would make the jury believe that Thomas was guilty. The District Attorney looked at Patrick but made no comments about being surprised to see him there.
The crowd behind them had got excited as Thomas Van Martin was escorted by his fancy attorney. He glanced over to the family and showed a sarcastic smile. By the end of the day, he told himself, he would be set free and would then let them know what he thought of them. Thomas took his seat and looked around the room. He waved at all the people he knew like he was away for a long trip and returned just in time for church service. He wasn’t nervous at all about how the day would go since he was convinced that it was all a waste of time.
Soon after Daniel and Catherine Van Martin entered the room and everyone grew silent. They eyed the parents’ every move as if they were the ones wh
o should’ve been convicted. The two sat behind Thomas and Catherine reached up to rub her son’s shoulder. He brushed her off and reminded her he didn’t want her there.
Catherine sat back in her seat and waited for the trial to begin. Daniel then leaned up and whispered back and forth to the defending attorney. He sat back, glanced at his wife and then to everyone else and too smiled. Like his son, he wasn’t the least bit nervous. This trial would prove his son innocent and then everyone else who didn’t side with him would have to be punished somehow.
Anna sat away from her father this time and sat on the end of the row with Patrick. She looked at him as his face focused on the front of the room where the judge would sit. He was edgy because he knew that when he sat in the defendant’s seat, he was innocent. He hoped that it wasn’t the case for Thomas and that they would learn the truth. Anna kept her eye on him until he turned her way and said, “I’m wondering if you should be here, Anna. I know you’ve grown up since then but I still am not sure if you should hear what will be said.”
“I’ll be fine,” she whispered to him. She knew that hearing all the details would be the hardest thing she would ever have to do, but it was something she needed; and she needed to hear it first hand and not sugar coated by her father.
Before long Judge Harrison had made his now second entrance into the Millersport Meeting house and looked at all the familiar faces he had seen the last time he was there for the same murder. He was skeptical about taking on the case a second time but was assured that this time the local authorities had the right man. Before pounding his gavel, he looked at the two attorneys out on the floor. He knew the District Attorney since they had worked together for the previous trail but he worried when he saw the defendant’s attorney. His name was Joseph Maxwell and had been in Albany a few times to help out. From what Harrison knew Maxwell had only lost a few cases and won hundreds in his career. It was an impressive number for anyone on his side but intimidating for anyone who wasn’t. Continuing his look around the room, the judge made eye contact with the man he swore was the defendant the last time he presided over this murder. He wasn’t surprised to see the man in attendance, recalling how the man had said he was a friend of the victim, but more surprised to see him sit with the immediate family. Things sure seemed strange in this small village. Moments later he raised his gavel and then dropped it hard on the desk to make the onlookers aware that court had begun.