Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1873-10-16
Truth Stranger than Fiction,
Curious Manner In which d Law
yer finds Client.
An Incident in the Practice of
George Il. Barker.

George r. Barker.
1t has been said that there i
no section Of the worlds hope
and struggles which is replet,
with SO much animation of con
test, such frequent recurrence
of triumphant result, and disaS
trous defeats, as the practice of
the law before juries, that tht
grotesque and passionate forms
Of many colored life, with which
the advocate becomes familiar
the multitude Of human affec-
tions, passions and fortunes of
which he becomes, in turns, moi
only the representative but the
sharer, render his professional
life almost like the varied scenes
Of a drama. In the majority
Of cases, he becomes jealous,
often passionate partizan. AT
one time the honor OF 4 mans
life may tremble in his grasp,
again he is the last prop Of sink
ing hope to the guilty, or the
sole refuge claspcd by the inno-
cent. One day he may urge
the infiiction Of the highest,
hardest penalties known to the
law, Il penalty which involves
the death of a human being, or
his incarceration in a gloomy
dungeon, the next day he may
Iimplore commisseration for hui
man frailty, and talk Of moth
ing but charity, mercy and for
giveness.
Few advocates experience
more Of these vicissitudes than
did George p. Barker.
The following is one Of the
many circumstances which oc-
Cured in his professional life,
that indeed renders truth stran-
ger than fiction, and which ex-
hibits the generosity Of his ma
ture.
In October, 1885, Mr.. Barker
was detained at Albany for a
few days, awaiting the arrival
Of certain persons with whom
he had important business. At
this time a court Of Oyer and
Terminer was in session in that
city, at which the late James
Vanderpool presided. The
next morning after the arrival
Of the young lawyer, he sought
the court room for the purpose
Of wiling away the time in Oh
serving the proceedings of the
court. His route led him past
the old Albany jail. The morn
ing sun cleaned sadly on its
gloomy front, and CLEANED play
fully through It's iron grated
windows. just before reaching
the door of that grim recepta-
bIe Of crime and misery, it o.
pened, and two officers having a
young man, apparently about
twcnty-one years Of age, in
charge, issued from it, and step
ped upon the walk directly in
front of the lawyer.
The officers with their priso-
Ler, for such the young man
was, moved in the same direc-
tion he was going. The priso-
ncr was of middling size, slen-
der in form, with a pleasant
and attractive face. As he
the street, the beautiful
the pure, soft air of
that beautiful October morning
seemed TO exhilerate him, and
his darkeycs glanced with some
thing like happiness as he lif-I
ted them to the clear sky, !
''where all things are free. -
The three persons walked with !
rapid pace toward the court |
house, Mr.. Barker following.
They had proceeded but q
short distance when they were
met by respectable appearing,
decently clad woman, about for
ty years Of age. The moment |
her eyes fell upon the prisoner |
she sprang forward and elapsed !
him in her arms, exclaiming:
90, George! George! Ny |
boy. My son!"
The sudden appearance of
the woman caused the officers |
to halt.
Mother, why did you not
wait FOR me at the court-house?"
said the prisoner, trying to con-
ceal his emotion.
Because ] did not see YOU
here, George; and | thought |
perhaps You might not have
your trial to day, after all, and
SO ] started to see you at the
jail; for | could wait no longer. !