The narrator, acting as defense counsel, recounts how the disappearance of a poor village girl led to a blood‑libel accusation against local Jews, how press coverage and rumor transformed private tragedy into a highly publicized trial, and how courts, investigators, and the author struggled to uncover truth amid inflamed public opinion. The account blends case history, legal argument, and reflection on mass psychology, exploring how collective passions, prejudice, and the mechanics of public opinion can overpower reason and endure across societies.