Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1853-07-23
\ 9 Il y.
From the Southern Literary Messeuger,l
MY DEBUT AT THE BAR.

Nv client was respectable butcher
his opponant a well-to-do farmer. On
getting 10 the courthouse, found the court
in session. The clerk was ust reading the
minutes. My cass-l can well speak in
the singular--was the first set on the dock
It for that morning. ! looked around and
saw old Kasm, who somehow had found
out that was in the case, with his green
bag and half library Of old books on the
bar before him. The old fellow gave me
look of malicious pleasure--like that of
hungry tiger from his lair, cast upon an
unsuspecting calf browsing near him. |
had tried to Put on a bold face. l felt that
it would be very unprofrssiona 10 let on
to my client that was at all scared, though
nv heart was running down like a jack
screw under heavy wagon. My con-
scipnce--l had not practised it away then
was not quite easy. | couldn't help
feeling that it was hardly honest TO be
leading my client, like FalSlaf his men,
where he was sure TO be peppered. But
then il was my only chance; my bread de-
pended upon it and reflected that the
same thing is to happen in every lawyers
practice. l tried TO arrange my ideas in
form and excogitate speech they fitted
through my brain in odds and ends. |
could neither think nor quit thinking. ]
would lose myself in the first twenty words
of the opening sentence, and stop at par
ticle; the trial run clear ont. would
start il again with no better luck then ]
thought a moment OF the disgrace OF dead
break down; and then would commence
again with, "Gentemen Of the Jury," ETC.,
and 60 on as before.
At length the judge signed the minutes
and took up the docket; especial case
Higginbotham VS.. Swink SANDER. Mr..
Glendys for plaintiff, Mr.. Kasm for defrn-
dant. Is Mr.. G.. in court Call him sheriff"
The sheriff called three times. He might
as well have called the dead. No answer
of course, came. Mr.. Kasm arose and told
the court that be was sorry his brother was
too much (stroking his chin and looking
down and pausing) indispcsed, or otherwise
engaged, 10 attend the case, but he must
insist on its being disposed, etc, the court
said It should be. then spoke up Though
my voice seemed TO me very low down,
and very hard TO get up,) that had JUS
been spoken to in the cause. | believed
we were ready, if the cause must then be
tried but should much prefer 1t TO bt
laid over. if the court would consent, unit
the next day, or even that evening. kasr
protested vehemently against this, reminded
The court OF its peremptory order; referred
10 the former proceedings, and was going
on to discuss the whole merits of the case
when he was interrupted by the Judge
who, turning himself to me, remarked tina
he should be happy TO obIige M, but tha
he was precludrd by what had happened
he hoped, however, that the counsel on III
other side would extend the desired iudul
g-nce to which Kasm Immediately rejoin
ed that this was case in which he nelthe
asked tavors nor meant to give them. S
the case had TO go on.
Several members of the bar had thei
hats IN their hands, ready to leave tn
room, when the case was called up; bu
seeing that was IN it alone, suffered thri
curiosity to get the better Of their engage
men,s, and stad 10 see il out--a circun
stance which did not diminish my tIepidf
ton in the least.
had my witnesses called up, posted m
;. client behind me in the bar, and put I'll
case 10 the-Jury. The defendant had plea
~ Justification, and not guilty. | got alon
pretty well, thought, on the proofs. TT
cross-pxamination OF old Kasm didn't see
to me TO hurt anything; though he qui
hled. misconstrurd, and bulled nightly
If objected to all my questions as leading, al
all the witnesses answers as irrelevan
=, but the Judge, who was very clever SO
- :, OF a man, and who didn't like Kasm inuc
= helped me along and over the bad place
ic occasionally taking the examination hir
S self, when old Kasm had got the Statemer
u of the witness in log.
had strong case the plaintiff show
IL a good character-that the lodge Of Maso
l, had refused to admit him to fellowship Il
Ill he had cleared up those charges; ii
~ ~ the Methodist Church, of which he was
W. class-leader, had required of him to ha
these charges iudicially settled; that
e. had offered to satisfy the defendant Il
F. they were false, and proposed 10 refer it
=. ulSlUltItsttu lHtlls anu " ue sd'isilVu,
- they decided for him, 10 receive writ
relracton, in which the defendant shot
only declare he was mistaken that
. defendant refused this profftr and reitera
". these charges with increased bitterness a
The aggravated insult; that the plaintiff
er, suffered in reputation and credit; that
so so' defendant had declared he meant TO
him of and buy his land al his.(deiendan
own price; and that deien dant was r
- and often repeated his slanders at puI
meetings, and once at the church de-
ud and finally, now justified.
ha no The defendants testimony was weak
ept did not controvert the proof as 10 the spe
ap- ing of the words or the matters OF aggra
fes- ton. Many witnesses were examined
ar, 10 the character of the plaintiff; but II
''a' against us only referred to what they
heard since the ISLANDERS, except one,
. was unfriendly. Some witnesses spok
lity butchering hogs at night and hearing Il
soueal at a late hour at the plant
!. slaughter-house, and Of the dead hogs I
I'VE. had seen with various marks, ana so
thing of hogs having been stolen in
!. neighborhood. This was about all