Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1867-04-24
JUDGE REMSENS FIRST CLIENT.

Old Judge Remsen, of Cowan, was fond
Of telling hls early experience at the bar.
My first -e.se, he would say, came upon
me very unexpectedly, after [ had waited
considerable time for cliant. The way
| came to get it was thus:
A young girl, Helen NIontressor, was
to ee tried at our county court for steal
ing "a breast pin valued at four dollars,
! aud tv.eney dollars IN gold from the trunk
OF her employer, James Wesley, a mer-
chant 10 the town OF Bedford The theft,
winch was detectei FIVE weeks before. oc-
casioned quite d talk at the time, as the
girl was beautiful, and y esley and his
wife kunice were anything but that, be-
sides being generally detested. People
said Helen had been shametully treated
by her mistress, who was jealous OF her;
and it was limited that there had been foul
play IN the prosecution tor theft.
The subsequent trial OF gang OF coun-
terfelters and horse thieves had SO absor-
bed public attention, that the case OF Hell
en- Montressor was forgotten and no one
seemed to care for her fate. But when
she was placed in the prisoners box, her
beauty riveted every eye, and when the
Judge asked her who was her council,
and she modestly replied that she had no
money to pay lawyer, there was not
member at the bar who would not have
willingly undertaken her case. The Judge
after looking round moment liked his
eyes on me, and said, Mr.. Remsen, will
you please act this young lady's counsel !?
[ started as though | had been shot. Luck
lily juror had been taken I'll, and the
court adjourned till next morning. or |
should have made sad work with my eli
ants case.
AS [ left the court room | looked at
my watch it was eleven clock, SO | had
but twenty-three hours to spare. | called
upon the district attorney and asked to see
the Indictment and the evidence taken
before the justice Of the peace. AS he
tumbled over pile Of documents in search
of the papers he said:
The Judge must have a spite against
you, Remsen, to put you In such tight
place, and you green hand. No offence,
he added, as he observed the rising color
of my chez s-no offence | simply mean
that you are inexperienced. These are
the documents-take them home with
you-only be sure to bring them to court
tomorrow morning. You will see tha1
your c.ient has no chance
was annoyed by this slight reference
to my client for whom [ entertained deep
respect and believed innocent but L SAID
nothing. fastening to my Office | locked
myself in and commenced the analysis OF
my case. The evidence consisted OF the
testimony of James and Eunice Wesley,
Sarah Brown, seamstress, Charlotte
Boyce, domestic, and Thomas Hanne-
gan, man of all work, employed by the
Wesley's. Hannigan evidence seemed
straightforward and truthful and so did
the servant girls. made up my mind
that they were not unfriendly to my cll-
ent, and that | would seek an interview
with them, although it would necessitate
Journey to Bedford. In Miss Brown s
testim ny [ at once detected intense NAL
ice, and determined to harrow her most
numerically in the cross examination
v e ley evidence was milar IN style and
manner to that of Hannegan but Mrs