The Portland daily press., 1867-12-17
Miscellany.
Anecdotes of ChOaie.

On one occasion, when the Chief Justice
Srowed at him rather savaeel7, Choafe turn
ed bis head back to the bar gathered behind
him-for he would not say sharp thing d.
rectly to Judge-and muttered slowly and
soliloquizingly, I've venerate the Chief Jus
tice, not Tor any beauty Of form of feature,
but tor the supposed treasure within y 10
appreciate this, one should have known
Choate. and imagine MIN muttering this aud
IDLY to himself, as ii he Was trying to account
to himself for the respect he felt for the grim
chief, notwithstanding his savageness-for
we know we ne did truly honor, appreciate
and admire Chief Justice Shaw.
An anecdote OF a constables return. and
his comment upon il, bas been to d before.
1t was an account of replevin, and the con-
stab e was ordered to attach certain goods ac-
cordlnS to the schedule furnished linn He
.leturned the writ into court, with the SEIZED
ule attached and th- goods. The etuIn was
after this fashion; On this day, hari~g at
tached this, hdcing taken that, hocing done
the her things" etc. Choate objected TO
his return OF service, that il was bad The
judge remarked that though ineleeant and
ungrammatical in its structure, the PAL er SEEM
Ell to be good in legal sense" 1t may be so.
your honor" replied Mr.. Choate "but it must
be confessed tina. he has greatly ocer-acorked
the pa ticiple. E
When the laugh which greeted this sally
had subsidized little, he took the second OBJ
jec ion, which was that the officer had not re-
turned the same goods as those ir his SEIZED.
ule. His schedule, for example, said cling
hams; he returned cassmeres, ETC. The old
chief took up his copy and read alung COM
par'ng in his copy the schedule and the re-
'turn. AT last he came to one item which
was right in his copy, and the COPY before
him was the original. Choate hal in his
hands transcript OF the original. ''Very
well, Mr.. Choate," said he, il he has taken
one article according to the schedule, it will
support he writ" Yes, your honor but he
Las not one" Certainly he has here is one.
lie is ordered to attach shirtingx and he re-
turns that he has attached shirLings" mop
replied Choate, respectfully, but firmly, she
is ordered to attach shirtings and he returns
Sheettngs-a very, Uery different thing" No,
Mr. Choate, look at your paper and will
look at NINE" So the old chief buried his
great head in the papers moment, and
Choate spelled out his gain. A pause ensu-
ed. well, MIR. Choate, you see you are
wrong" was the remark of tue bench, some
what testify. No sir" persisted Choate, II
see l AIN right" The chier, by this time
quite indignant, took the paper in his hand,
anc looking or it, and standing UP, forced.
out each letter in portentous tones, Shirt
spells shirt-does it not Mr.. Choate?" Choate
saw at once that the mistake must have aris-
hOAi ClIOI III COpylut his transcript
from the Judges original. We'll your hon.
or" said he, with a look OF gravity Il should
have supposed it did spell shirt, without an
express decision OF the Supreme Court of
Massachusetts upon it,"
For q long time the story ran current that
at law club Choate gave as sentiment
1.-The Ciet Justice! We contemplate him as
the East Ii dian does his wooden headed idol
he knows that he is ugly, hut he feels that he
is great.' 1874 ~ ga
In the famous Methodist Church case. ar
gued at New York within few years, he
made memorable and dazzling argument.
On leaving town next day, his clients agents
gave him $1,000 AID told him never to aban-
don the case while court remained to which
it could be carried. "Weil," said he 10 a
friend who stood BY, Il declare these religious
people hight harder and pay better than any
client ever knew"
In a trial for divorce, in Dedham, leading
character In the case, one of the parties to it,
was queer sort of half-cracked, hair-brained
individual; and during the trial Choate stop
PED in bis musInS walk up and down the
court room more than once to observe him,
saying to his associate, IL don't quite make
out whether this man is a TOOL or knave-
lie seems to be SOFT OF M Sceltdne. us per-
son. When he came to comment on h m in
the argument, he said: "rhis man seems to
- 9ooi hohoi, " H@ie sprI OF Mcalaenf-
ahtermtHent-.fy-m madness" The way he
brought out these successive qualifying adjec
t.ves produced great hilarity in all who bad
watched the progress OF the case.
Every one at the Suffolk bar knows his "a
nous description of tie secondhand har-
ness" VIII CHI was the subject Of suit. Holding
up IN his hand part OF the harness, Choate
said: TO be sure, gentlemen, this harness
hash VI on it all thai gloss and glitter which
takes the eye of a vulgar CT wd; but put it
to you, as intelligent jurors, acquainted W til
tho ordinary affairs OF lite, whether it isn't
SAFE, sound, substantial, suitable, second-rate,
second hand harness.