The Van Buren press., 1869-06-01
The Late Hon. James T. Brady,

lhe Hon. Luther IL. Marsh gives an
instance of Mr.. Brady's fertility in an
important case to which he himself had
given thorough and, as he felt, exhaustive
preparation. He asked MIR. Brady to us
sst him en the trial, Brady having had
no previous knowledge of tile case "Go
on and open your case fully, use all your
points without regard to me" said Brady.
Mr.. Marsh did so, and sat down, wonder.
ing what new matter Mr.. Brady could
find to say. To his astonishment Brady
rose and presented seven new and strik-
! 6 points.
OF his quickncss in the law of case
an instance is given where q recent de-
cision adverse to his position was intro
duced. Taking the book In his hand he
said it does not appear whether this case
has been heard in the Court of Appeals,
but when it is it will be reversed for such
and such reasons; which eventually
proved to be the exact reasons given by
the court reversing the decision. Con-
ceding all his wonderful brilliancy and
originality, Judge DAILY states. however,
that his greatness rs lawyer lay in his
sound judgment in the general manage
ment Of case. 1t is stated that in no
case involving constitutional questions
have his arguments been reversed in the
highest appellate court.
OF his manner, Mr.. Porter, says, "who
can ever forget the peculiar manner Of
his we have all felt and none can describe.
1t was evanescent as the fragrance Of the
rose" From the time he entered the
courtroom his by-play with the jury
He made himself thorough
ly at home with them. 1t is said that he
never lost a case in which he was before
a jury for more than week; by that
time they saw everything with his eyes.
He was counsel in fifty-two capital cases,
in not one Of which was he over unsuc-
cessful, except in that of Beall, who was
tried by court martial at Fort Lafayette,
on charge Of being spy and guerilla
1t is related that once having success
fullp defended man charged with mur-
der, as he was leaving the court the Judge
said, Mr.. Brady, the next case is that
Of man charged with murder; he has no
counsel, can you defend him ?" Ger
tainly,' said Brady, and instantly went
on with trial. The judge assigned him
in the same way to two others charged
with similar crime; so, that in success
sion, he defended and cleared four cap
ital cases, giving a weeks nnrequited
time to these four criminals He was oh
liged to decline to follow this up in the
case Of the next man, charged with burg
larry, who, having no counsel, desired
him to be assigned to him.
The case of young man who was
charged with murder in what was claim
oil an accidental fracas, attracted good
deal of interest He was a Mason, and
tlat society applied to Mr.. Brady to de.
fend him. rendering twenty.ti five hundred
dollars as fee; but, for some cause, he
declined the case, Not long after. one
afternoon, neatly-dressed, modest
young girl came to the office and asked
for Mr.. Brady. Told to walk into his
private Office, she timidly approached his
desk and saying "Mr. Brady, they are
going to hang my brother, and you can
save him. I've brought you this money,
please don't let my brother die" she
burst into tears. 1t was a roll Of $3.50
which the poor girl had begged in sums
6vo .-,I 80. i l-ll~--- III L:..l L.~.tod
man heard her story. "They shan't
hang your brother, my child" shid he F;
and, putting the: roll Of bills in an envel.
ope, told her to take it to her mother and
he would ask for it when he wanted it.
The boy was cleared. In Mr.. Brady's
parlor hangs an exquisite picture by
Durand, with a letter on the back asking
him to accept it as a maik Of appreciation
for his generous kindness in defending
this poor boy. Mr.. Brady priced that
4 Great Adcocdtc,' in the
GALAXY for Nay
SUPREME CoURT-This morning the
Supreme Court, Justice Mcclure deliver
ing the opinion, decided the case Of
Fletcher vs. Oliver, as Sheriff of Pulaski
county.
The case involves the question whether
the tax levied on property in the city of
Little Rock, for county.road purposes,
was valid. Chancellor Yonley had de-
cided the question in the affirmative, and
dismissed Fletcher's bill The Supreme
Court in its decision this morning, af-
hrmed the judgment Of the Chancellor.
Consequently the road tax must be paid.
Messrs. Rice and Benjamin, and Wat
kins and Rose appeared for the plaintiff,
and Judge Wamick, County Attorney,
and Gallagher and Newton, specially re-
tanned, resisted the application.
1t is decision of great importance to
the tax payers of the city, and they had
better take notice and govern themselves
accordingly.-Libcral, Nay 26M.