As John R. White did not immediately appear in answer to the call,
Maroney seemed, during the brief period of silence, to suddenly realize
how critical was his position. His cheek blanched with fear. He seemed
striving to speak, but not a word could he articulate. As White
deliberately walked up to the witness-stand, Maroney seemed at once to
realize that White would never perjure himself for the sake of
befriending him. His eyes were filled with horror and he gasped for
breath.
A glass of water was handed to him. He gulped it down, and, vainly
endeavoring to force back the tears from his eyes, in a hoarse, shaky
voice, he exclaimed:
"Oh, God!" Then, turning to his counsel, he said: "Tell the court I
plead guilty. He," pointing to White, "knows the whole. I am guilty!! I
am gone!!!"
This ended the matter. The counsel entered a plea of guilty and the
Judge sentenced Maroney to pass ten years in the Alabama Penitentiary,
at _hard labor_.