Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-07-04
Maryland OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
able Will Case.

EDITOR HERALD:-A most remafka-
BILE "Will Case" has recently been
agitating the public mind both in
Baltimore and our own quiet city,
in which over quarter of million
dollars are involved, and which has
engendered the most vindictive and
unchristian feelings. A wealthy
maiden lady of the name of Dorsey,
residing in the suburbs of Baltimore
city, deceased a few yerrs since, leav-
ing all the property to nephew,
whom she took in his boyhood with
the avowed purpose of making him
Der adopted son and heir. On the
lady's decease a "Will' was found,
bearing all necessary evidences of
being an instrument emanating fIom
Miss Dorsey, though written and
signed clandestinely, to blind some
of her relatives, who were no ways
congenial, and who appeared very
anxious to become inheritors of a
share of her estate. After q lapse of
ten years, when two of the witnesses
to the "WilP' were under the sod. a
plan was devised among the heirs,
(mostly ssters) to disposess the
nephew of his Inheritance, and so
suit was begun in the Courts of Bal
timore to prove the ''Will" forgery,
the prosecutors ransacking the city
and state to obtain witnesses TO sus-
tain their nefarions claims. For
various reasons the trial was moved
to our county, (Howard), and your
correspondent had the pleasure of
hearing much of the testimony on
both sides, together with the able
arguments, pro-and-con, by the most
emiAent lawyers in the United
States. From all could gather, my
sympathies were awakened in be-
half OF the Defendant-the nephew
though it was charged home upon
him that he was notorious "Chick-
en-hgdter" (no uncommon thing in
Mary land), horse-racer, and a
whiskcy topper. The great marvel
with me was that Mr. Defendant was
no ao0rSe, as be had been brought up
amid the greatest luxury and indulge
ence-had never wanted for money
or fast horses--and yet among all
these temptations he has married a
first class lady, and has two well-ap-
pearlng manageable daughters, and
sustains good social position among
the better class Of society. For four
weeks this gentleman, wife and
daughters, were constant attendants
at the court ROOM and with all the
abuse OF lawyers, they bore up under
the aggravated weight of Billings
gate remarkably well. Two of the
most noted legal gentlemen of Bslti.
more, Reverdy Johnson and the Hon.
Mr.. Brent, were the counsel, besides
about dozen others Of less uotoriety
and Importance. Mr.. Brent, Ro-
man Catholic attorney of Baltimore,
was the main legal adviser on the
side of the defence, while Reverdy
johnson was the great warhorse for
the prosecution. 1t is impossible in
a brief letter to do Justice to these
eminent jurists. Brent is a gentleman
Of forty-tive years of age, about the
size of Judge Mills, and about as
spicy. Calm and deliberate in his
mode Of reasoning, once in awhile
there will flash out some sharp,
witty saying that carries more weight
often than the most oratorical SEN
tence. Mr.. Brent is an able pleader,
speaking with a great deal of fuen>
cy, and learned in all departments OF
his profession. | was pleased with
his style, arguments, and wit. lie
stands at the head of the bar, both at
home and in the District of Colum.
bia. His antagonist, Reverdy John.
son, is short thick-set gentleman
about seventy years of age,-hail
white, Roman nose, and vision some.
what defective. His manners are OF
the old Virginia character, for there
is a kind Of dignity about his bearing
that indicates large self-esteem and
love of appreciation. He stands on
the dignity of Baltimorean of the
first character and his whole deport.
ment impresses one with the idea oil
arlstocracy and great selt-depend.
ence. His mode Of examing wit
nesses Is that of SternneSS, and his ques
tons are often more than poor hu,
man nature can bear. One of the
witnesses, pressed beyond measure
by his cross-examination, became in.
dlgnant, and flung back his question
into the ex-Senators face, with q
spirit and vim that called for the in,
terposition of the Court.
Mr.. Johnson's method of pleading
IS highly argumentative, with q
great many reference TO Roman and
English law. On the whole. | am
pleased with the learning and tact OF
this honorable gentleman, though
the methods often pursued by him
IN examining witnesses are anything
but Justifble Both these lawyers
profess great generation for the Ho
~ Scriptures, and speak in the most
pralseworthy terms of the Christian
religion, as the conservator of public
morals and the light of the word.
Mr.. Johnson's sign graces a small
Ofnce on ono OF the streets of Balti-
more, weather-worn by the storms
and changes of fifty years; for; one
would judge from ite antiquated APP
pearance that it is the same "shingle"
that appeared over his first office
door half century ago. Notoriety
gives MN an extensive practice,
mostly in the higher courts, and his
fees are said TO be up among the
thousands, though some times he
will be found engaged on some petty
suit in an inferior court. As to
wealth Mr.. Johnson stands among
apprehension, but | would think
from his appearance generally that be
does not care much for society, and
lives almost entirely within his own
family and with a few personal
friends.
But to end this brief history con-
corning the evil Case" of Miss Dor
sey. After four weeks of incessunt
conflict between the parties. with